FOR THE STUDENTS in the North Carroll Business Club, the key to raising funds for computers is unique entertainment.
For years, they've tapped into the wrestling craze, luring pro wrestlers and teachers to the stage at North Carroll High School. This year's event, Pro Wrestling Spectacular IX, will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11.
Featured professionals include Bam Bam Bigelow and Dino Casanova.
The popular event will be a homecoming for another wrestler, Otto Schtark. A decade ago, Schtark was an athlete at North Carroll. He's adopted a new persona as a formidable Germanic strongman. Schtark will battle another character familiar to the North Carroll audience, Morgus the Maniac. Morgus also grew up in the North Carroll area and became a professional wrestler. Today, he wrestles tough guys like Schtark while strapped in a straitjacket.
"His story is that he's just got let out of an institution," says Tom Davidson, business teacher and club adviser. "He arrives at the ring with his nurses and doctor."
A few North Carroll teachers will show bravado in a tag-team match.
Bryan Wetzel, Spanish teacher and wrestling coach, becomes Wild Man in the ring. Troy Warehime, physical education teacher and baseball coach, will be School Dog, an academic takeoff on the televised wrestler Road Dog.
John Piper, wrestling as Stone Cold Piper, is a special education and resource teacher when not tossing fellow teachers in the ring. The trio are part of the CCWF, or Carroll County Wrestling Federation, a fictitious organization they've created for the match.
Warehime and fellow teacher-wrestlers will receive pointers from the professionals before their public fight.
The night of sport and theatrics includes professional midget wrestlers in a comedy routine and a heavyweight championship to be decided between pro wrestlers Dino Casanova and Max Thrasher.
Latching onto the idea of rough and wild action to raise money has been a boon for the business students. It's meant money for new computers and the purchase last year of a pair of digital cameras, a scanner and software for North Carroll High.
"They've been able to get a whole lot of computers," said Jim McDonald, a business teacher who helps the club. "I tell them, `Even if you don't like wrestling, the money goes for a good cause.'"
Tickets to Pro Wrestling Spectacular IX are on sale at North Carroll High School, Greenmount Station Restaurant in Hampstead, Ron's Automotive in Manchester, Ledo Pizza in Westminster and Napa Auto Parts in Reisterstown.
Ringside seats are $15. Advance general admission is $10, $12 at the door.
The school is at 1400 Panther Drive, Hampstead.
Information: 410-751-3458, Ext. 256.
Labels and receipts
Shiloh Middle School would like people who have Campbell's products in their pantry to save labels or proofs of purchase.
The school redeems the proofs of purchase for free physical education equipment, audio-visual equipment, reference books and computers. Many Campbell's products are included in the program, including soups, spaghetti sauce, cookies, crackers and Mexican food items.
Giant Food shoppers are asked to save their register tape for another school program that contributes equipment and computers to the school.
Labels and Giant receipts can be dropped into brightly wrapped boxes near the school office, or sent to school with pupils.
Information: 410-386-4570.
Pat Brodowski's North neighborhood column appears each Wednesday in the Carroll County edition of The Sun.
