Calling all coaches, and wrestlers. We are going to be hosting a clinic in Wichita for 8 year old cancer victim Tyler Graebner on Thursday December 30. We are not certain as to the location but have it narrowed down to hopefully one of 2 places. Eric Akin has made the commitment to be here and head up the clinic. On December 20 we had numerous All Americans and NCAA Qualifiers attend to help with the clinic in Paola KS, all of their time was donated. We are hoping to do the same thing in the Wichita area. We want coaches and wrestlers who may be willing to donate their time to help raise funds for this young man who has both liver and pancreatic cancer. His family is in need of funds for the medical expenses involved. I will be posting more information about the Wichita clinic as it becomes available but if you are a coach, wrestler, or individual who would be willing to donate your time and service to help with this clinic, please email me ASAP so we can work out the details. If needing a place to stay in Wichita we can work that out. You could stay the weekend, get a great clinic in on Thursday, Enjoy the community and take a break on Friday and get in a tournament on Saturday and another on Sunday. Please help, it would especially be great if someone could make additional contacts to any of the state college wrestlers and coaching staff, and/or wrestlers that wrestle out of state that may be in for the holiday. All assistance would be appreciated. My cell number is 316-841-5814, and my email is posted in my profile.

Photo's from Paola - http://www.PictureTrail.com/mikefurches

Another note here. There is so much going on with Tyler it is unreal. I just got off the phone with Eric and we raised in the neighborhood of $1,600 last night for this family. We want to do more though and there is so much more that is in the planning. I just finished emailing a web site designer who wants to do a web site for Tyler, we are looking at ways to make it easier for people to contribute. We are going to be setting as a goal to have the wrestling community pay for his medications on a month-to-month basis, currently around $800. The wrestling community is a family and that is something that is special, especially during this time of year. Right now we realize that some may not be able to attend, but they can still help. We found out last night that items to auction for Tyler will also bring in substantial dollars. I won't say who but just the signed hat from Wyoming brought in $100. If you, or your club or team have wrestling memorabilia please consider donating it for Tyler. Again all monies go to help the family out. If willing to donate items for auction, please email me or call.

Just in from The Mat. I spoke to Danielle about this and she has been a trooper. "I just registered the domain name http://www.tylergraebner.com and I'm working on the site right now! Once I get it up and running, if anyone has any ideas of other things we can post on the site or if anyone comes across more articles than we already have it would be great if you could contact me. thanks!


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Danielle Hobeika
hobeika@post.harvard.edu
http://www.daniellehobeika.com
http://www.amateurwrestlingphotos.com

Coach Ed is in for whatever you need and his wife will be at your beck and call Mr. Furches. I heard she can be a lot of help.

Great to hear, we need you and are calling. By the way the location and time have been set.

Thursday, December 30 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Derby High School Practice Room.

Tyler Trust Fund established. Just in, a Tyler Graebner Trust Fund has been established. This process makes it easy to make monthly donations to assist Tyler with his medical expenses. With little effort donations can come out of your monthly payroll check or at your request and be routed automatically to the Tyler Trust Fund. The goal as established by the wrestling community is to raise $800 a month to meet the medication expenses. So far, before the first post is up, we already have a contribution of $200 a month to go into this account, leaving us $600 short of our initial goal. Anyone desiring information on how to make a monthly contribution to this fund may email me at mike@furches.org for additional information. This is not a time commitment pledge, persons contributing may do so anonymously and may withdraw their donation at any time they wish.

Mr Furches or Mr Ed,
Can high school boys participate in this clinic or is there a restriction? Thanks

That is the question I was trying to get answered from the KSHAA. I know that sometimes you can get an "easement" to a rule. I even looked at the possibility of could they come and just watch if they didn't put their shoes on and practice. So far no answer. It is a shame that I can't get that answer. Hopefully someone associated with the KSHAA will see that some of us are now talking about it and respond.

Another note and clarification on the above fund. This is still the same fund that Tyler currently has. It is just that we are making it easier for people to give. Since it is a checking or electronic bank account, we can make donations to the fund in that way. There are no restrictions on any deposits. The following is a more detailed description of the account.

How it works:
Tyler has a trust fund that everyone already knows about through Peoples Bank and Trust in Hutchinson. The fund is simply a bank account. No one has debit access to that account except Tyler and his guardians. However, there are no restrictions on deposits. Deposits can be made in the ways we have already seen with checks made out to the "Tyler Graebner Fund" c/o Peoples Bank and Trust. Since the Tyler Trust fund is simply a bank account, it has a routing number and an account number. These two values allow electronic fund transfers to occur. If your paycheck is electronically deposited into your bank account, then you have the opportunity to have any portion of that check routed to different accounts. By going to your payroll office, you can fill out a form that could designate a certain amount of money per paycheck to be routed to Tyler's Trust fund. Once the paperwork is submitted, it normally takes about two weeks for the first transaction to appear. You can stop this transcaction at anytime by returning to your payroll office and filling out paperwork to stop the transaction.

The Wrestling community is trying to get enough of these recurring transactions to cover all of Tyler's monthly prescription requirements. I was told by the family representative that this equates to about $800.00 a month. We currently have donations that equal $200.00 a month.
Obviously, if we can get more than $800.00, then that is fantastic for the family. This monthly transaction approach is a good way to ensure more regular and reliable support for the family's continued challenges. The Christmas season will soon be over, but not so for Tyler's challenges. I fear the possiblity of "out of sight, out of mind." This kind of recurring donation better ensures a continuity of support that can bring some peace of mind to that family.

Flyers are available, email me for them at mike@furches.org I was also wondering if maybe someone has a data base where I can send you the flyer and you in return can mail it to all of the Kansas Clubs? Thanks.

New items in for donation at auction from T.C. Dantzler 2X World Team Member Greco, and Dremtel Byers, 2002 World Champion

I also like the idea of the challenge. Let's come through for one of our own District 2.

Anyone wanting to bid on these or any items may contact me. I will be glad to call anyone interested in the items available on my cell phone from the clinic. I will even mail the items to you at my own expense. There will be numerous other items available from people like Eric Akin, Danny Hodge plus possibly others that are coming in. I will say the names at this point are big for wrestling fans but until I know for certain I won't list the items available.

I'm in! You can count on me being there. Coach Charles Knox.

Thanks so much Kenny, you, and Coach Knox are two of Nathan's favorite people and I know you will add so much to the clinic. If possible please email me.

By the way, Pastor/Coach Furches, That was me, Coach Knox using the Taylor's Computer. You can count on us at the clinic. I tried to Email you but it didn't go through. Ks wrestling got a blessing when the Furches came to our state. Keep up the good work.

call on the cell phone when you see this, 841-5814. Thanks guys, just came home where I belong.

Mr. Furches,

As coach Knox stated, I am more than willing to help out in anyway possible. Please continue to inform us on whats going on. Thanks!

Mike, thanks for all that your doing to make it so easy for all of us to help. Tyler's web site looks awesome. . Danielle Hobeika is great.

I'm glad to see that the Team of Hard Knox will be there Thursday.

Also, I just got confirmation from Travis Shufelt, all-American for the Nebraska Huskers. Unfortunately, he suffered a season ending injury recently. But he is donating some of his new free time Thursday for Tyler.

Shufelt will be there to sign autographs and talk to wrestlers. I will bring what wrestling goodies I can round up for the auction.

Thursday, December 30 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Derby High School Practice Room. Hosted by the Derby Jr. Wrestling Club

All American Wrestling Clinic for Tyler Graebner: 100% of all proceeds go benefit the family with medical expenses.

Cost $10 per wrestlers. Additional donations will gladly be accepted for the fund.

Thursday, December 30 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Derby High School Practice Room.


Clinicians include:

Eric Akin
Danny Hodge
Bo Maynes
Charles Knox
Kenny Taylor
Mark Stovall
Kenny Taylor Jr.
Gayland Taylor
Eric Prichard
Craig Adams
Ed Edison
Derby Jr. Wrestling Club
Zac Poague
Aaron Sweazy
Travis Shufelt
Jeremy Biddle
Tyson Biddle
Scott Biddle
Mike Garcia
Cody Garcia
More to be added

Auction Items Available, All Items will be autographed

Wheaties Cael Sanderson Signed Box
LeBron James Signed Item
Kansas All-Time All-American Shirt Signed by Clinicians
T.C. Dantzler Item
Eric Akin Items
Dremetel Byers
Chris Pendelton
More to be added

Here is a great article featuring Tyler, check it out: http://www.boxingranks.com/Articles/Article521.htm

Coach Stovall from Kansas Newman has just been added to the list of clinicians. If you haven't seen yet, see the post regarding the clinic being moved into the small gym at Derby to accomidate wrestlers, clinicians and spectators.

Mike,
Can you post an address and "fund name" for people that are not able to be at the clinic, if they want to send in some donations? You may hae already done that, but there are so many posts about Tyler, it might help to start a new topic, don't you think?


I'll send it out to the folks on my email list, and see if we can't pick up some spare change along the way.

I'll be bringing Levi down to the clinic tonite.

Doug