North Cedar on a mission

STANWOOD - North Cedar High School, along with Cy's Trees Service, sponsored a lift-a-thon last week for to raise money for Bill Bails, the school's previous athletics director.

Bails resigned last July because of his fight against cancer. His insurance no longer is paying for his treatment, so he now has to pay more than $20,000 annually out of his own pocket for his treatments.

Bails has raised more than $80,000 for people locally through several different fundraising events, including various runs. North Cedar decided it was time to give back for all the things Bails has done for our school.

Competition was held in three categories - heavyweight boys, lightweight boys and girls - and each participant got pledges for every pound lifted. The lift-a-thon will consist of your max out lifts in the following lifts - hang cleans, squats and bench pressing. They then took the total of those three lifts, multiplied the total by the pledge money and that is the total amount the participants ended up collecting.

But you do not have to participate in the lift-a-thon to help raise money. Donations also are being accepted.

Not only did the participants have the satisfaction of raising money to help Bails in his fight against cancer, but trophies also were awarded to nine student-athletes for a remembrance of their hard work and all their help.

'I would like to thank these North Cedar and Lisbon athletes for taking time out of their weekend to take part in the lift-a-thon!” Bails wrote on his Facebook page. 'What an honor and I was glad I was able to be there. ...”

If you would like to mail a donation, send it to: Charlie Feller, football coach, North Cedar High School, 102 E. North Street, Stanwood, Iowa, 52337.