Crystal Falls, Felch fundraiser pits officers in bench press challenge for families

A friendly bench press battle between Forest Park School Resource Officer Tom Mantsch and North Dickinson SRO John Wyle turned into a community lifeline Thursday, with every 135-pound rep and every pound on a one-rep max helping the families of Cale Campbell and Chloe Conery.

The fundraiser was held at the Clark Schwedler Memorial Weight Room at Forest Park Schools and was open to the public, giving Crystal Falls and Felch residents a chance to rally around two families facing serious medical challenges. All proceeds from the challenge were split between the Campbell family and the Conery family, tying the event directly to immediate needs rather than a general athletic cause.

The format kept the effort simple and easy to support. Sponsors were asked to pledge $1 for every 135-pound rep or $2 for each pound in the officers’ one-rep max, turning strength numbers into cash for the two households. The competition also added a local prize: Crystal Steel House in Crystal Falls donated a trophy plaque for the winner.

The fundraiser drew momentum from the school communities themselves. North Dickinson County School promoted the challenge on its live feed and directed questions to Wyle, while Forest Park Schools had already introduced Mantsch as its new school resource officer. The district said Mantsch brought experience from critical care ambulance services, fire departments and law enforcement, a background that helped position him for a role that now stretches beyond safety and into community connection.

Forest Park head football coach Brian Fabbri said he thought the idea was great and jumped in right away. He helped bring football players into training and pushed the event on Facebook, adding another layer of school support behind the effort.

The challenge reflected how small Iron County communities often respond when families are hit with medical and financial strain. Instead of waiting for a distant safety net, local schools, coaches, officers and businesses stepped in together, using a public event in Crystal Falls to support a family there and another in Felch. In a region where school halls and weight rooms often double as civic gathering places, the fundraiser showed how quickly mutual aid can move when the need is personal.