Marathon Wrestling Club is committed to making sure every wrestler that wants to participate in a tournament is able to. This includes providing transportation for those kids who may not otherwise be able to travel.
The Club had a 1992 Ford Econoline, 12-passenger van that they were using to transport wrestlers to and from tournaments. The van become unsafe for long-distance travel, so they are only able to use it locally.
Last year, when Marathon Wrestling Club had to stop using the van, coaches used their personal vehicles on the road each weekend. This solution became unmanageable.
Receiving three mini grants of $500 each throughout the wrestling season, the Club was able to rent vans to transport team members and coaches. With these rented vans, the Club went to six tournaments for a total of 19 travel days. The vans were rented locally from Hertz.
For each trip, coaches could take all the kids who didn’t have rides in one van. This was not only time-saving; it was also a great team building environment. Jewel Williams, Marathon Wrestling Club manager, noted that, “We realized how grateful these families are that are unable to travel themselves. They are so appreciative of what we are able to do for them.”
Funding for these mini grants came from the Seward Community Foundation Unrestricted Fund.
