On Mar. 11, the Staples Service League of Boys (SLOBs) will hold a fundraiser where they will attempt to break the Guinness world record for the most people arm wrestling simultaneously.
“The record is 200, so hopefully we can get at least 202 to show up,” parent adviser Suzanne Kalb said. “We’re really just trying to do the best for our community.”
According to Kalb, SLOBs’ objective for the program is to raise its goal of $10,000 in support of its annual “Service Sunday” event, where the members of SLOBs come together for its largest charity event of the year.
“We’ve done everything from cleaning garages to holding walks for cancer,” member Ben Lewin ’12 said. “We help out any way we can.”
The event will take place from right after school to 5 p.m. in the Staples cafeteria. SLOBs is charging $5 to enter, and will be accepting any donations, as well. Other methods it is using to raise money are a bake sale and selling staff members and students on the wrestling team to join any group of arm wrestlers.
“Nobody has verified they would do it yet,” president David Kalb ’12 said. “But it’s a really great idea that would be a lot of fun.”
The arm wrestlers will meet in the cafeteria, both boys and girls, to hold the first big match. After the record is witnessed and officiated by principal John Dodig and another member of the community, the competitors will form teams of six and commence the arm wrestling tournament. There will be a bracket for both the winners and the losers.
“I thought of the idea by reading about a fundraiser in New Jersey to break a world record by throwing pies,” Suzanne Kalb said. “Pies were too messy, so the boys were given the option and voted for the arm wrestling competition.”
This is atypical for a SLOBs event, considering they usually do things on a smaller scale, according to members of the organization. Its events are helpful, but according to the group, its members are not outspoken and SLOBs does not get much publicity.
“This event is a lot about fun,” Lewin said. “We don’t get a lot of attention, so giving people something fun to do is the biggest way to help them remember the time they had.”
The attendees are requested to fill out an entry form, posted in the hallways attached to the SLOBs’ posters. Along with the posters, SLOBs is trying to get the event advertised on the WWPT radio station, along with a Facebook event invitation and a segment on Good Morning Staples.
“In my mind, it’s always so neat to think about breaking a world record,” member Hamza Kahn ’11 said. “Now we have the opportunity to do that and it’s a really amazing thing.”
