Fundraising Ideas

[Allie P.]

Talk about your unique fundraising event!

Pig rasslers get down and dirty for church fundraiser

Many enter the ring, few leave victorious at Stephensville event

STEPHENSVILLE, WI — Pig rassling is simple. Pick up a muddy pig and get a portion of its body over a barrel in less than 45 seconds.

For most participants, it meant chasing a pig around the ring before cheering spectators, but never actually getting a grip on it. It mostly meant getting pretty muddy.

An Olympic sport it is not.

But it's what about a thousand people wanted to see — or do — on a 90-degree Sunday afternoon in a small town northwest of Appleton.

Stephensville has a couple of bars and a couple of churches. One of the churches, St. Patrick's, holds its Stephensville Round-Up every August. The main street shuts down for a parade, and crowds turn out for a chicken and pork dinner, silent auction and live music.

But it's the pig rassle that keeps them coming back.

"It's the big draw for my church," said Bruce Learman, co-chair. "We'll raise $1,800 to $2,000 just from the pig rassle and about $20,000 overall."

Ten-year-old Evan Mundt of Weyauwega was the first to plunk down his $2 fee and step into the ring with teammate Jake Rew, 12, of Oshkosh. "The mud felt soft and heavy and gooey," Mundt said. "The pig was rough and slippery."

The pig bested them, as pigs also did to the next few teams.

"It's hogs four, humans zero," announced emcee Glen Van Handel.

Only three of the first round's 13 teams managed to get a pig over the barrel.

Mike Koleske of Black Creek led the first successful team. His background probably gave him an advantage. "I work on three farms," he said.

St. Patrick's Sister Pauline Feiner and Father John Kastenholz both wore official "Who lets the hogs out?" green T-shirts. Even they have taken turns chasing pigs in the ring in past years, to the amusement of parishioners. "We were fools, but we did it," said Sister Pauline, parish director.

Bystanders were splattered with plenty of mud as they watched, but few seemed to mind.

"I like the mud," said 2-year-old Jackson Kolasinski of Appleton.

In the 37 years St. Patrick's has held the fundraiser, it has included the pig rassle about 30 times, said Fran Van Camp, one of the rassle organizers.

Handlers watch carefully to make sure rasslers follow the rules of not dropping pigs and always keeping their snouts above the mud. The 38 pigs from a local farm were rotated in the ring, and each was hosed down afterwards.

The event got the attention of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) in years past, which prompted organizers to be even more vigilant.

"We're very careful about the pigs," Van Camp said. "We want to get them back to the farmer safe and sound."

[dianeanders]

Love that line "Pig rasslers get down and dirty for church fundraiser"

[fpc678]

Gotta love a fundraiser where people wear "Who Let The Hogs Out?" t-shirts...

[Kimberly]

Just goes to show how popular a fun event can be when it becomes an annual tradition...

[Cindy S.]

Whoo! Gonna do some pig rasslin!

Sounded like a great excuse to whoop it up...lol!

[pmccall]

I guess this is the down & dirty fundraising event...

[Bill Davis]

Now there's a fundraiser that will appeal to a lot of guys...