Since 2011, White County Cheering for a Cure has raised more than $300,000 and that money has gone directly to locals battling cancer. Amy Rice and Lacey Moore, Cheer Captains for the organization, dropped by Kiwanis Thursday to talk about this Saturday’s event, the 13th in 15 years. In addition to Rice and Moore, the board is also made up of Candace Masterson, Whitney Barbre, Dayna Siegel, and Allison Cozart.
Doors will open at McDougal-Evers Gymnasium at 7:30am with competition set to get underway at 9am.
We have 15 total teams; our 2 All Star teams, Tumble Time and Snow Power. We have 6 Jr High Teams and 7 High School Teams and I’m so excited this year to have all of our Carmi teams compete. Lots of Carmi cheerleaders performing for you to come cheer on.
In addition to Carmi teams, squads from Mt. Vernon, Cisne, North Posey, Harrisburg, Carrier Mills, Parkview, Crab Orchard, and Fairfield will be represented. And whether you’re in to cheer or not, you can help and get something out of it. Holy Grounds coffee will be available in the concession stand as well as Paige Wring’s Cinnamon Rolls, and Heath Rush will be on site serving up barbecue for lunch with proceeds going to help out. The group is also selling apparel in the lobby.
More than 50 “Voluncheers” will be on hand to assist and there are 15 individuals battling cancer that this year’s event proceeds will go to help in their fight.
This is the biggest group of people…it breaks my heart, I get choked up when I think about it…that we’re fighting for this year. We always have 3 or 4 people that are right in the thick of it during our competition and we do help people throughout the year. This year, we have 15 people and families total.
Organizers say they always want to respect anyone who doesn’t want to be recognized and honor that privacy. Eleven of the individuals were willing to share their stories however and this year include: Julie Lucas (Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma-Breast Cancer), Janet Childers (Breast Cancer), Ashley Heil (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma-Breast Cancer), Breanna Thompson (Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma), Beth Stephens (Ductal Carcinoma-Breast Cancer), Heather Page (Invasive Ductal Cell Carcinoma-Breast Cancer), Mason Larson (Medulloblastoma), Britany Bradshaw (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma-Breast Cancer), Mary Williams (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma-Breast Cancer), Peyton Daymon (Sarcoma Cancer), Greg Davis (Pancreatic Cancer).
After the competition portion of the day, the event will recognize those current and any survivors that come out to enjoy the festivities. The success the organization sees, Rice and Moore say, is directly because of the graciousness of the community.
We are thankful and only able to do this because of our community and our large group of “voluncheers” that come back year after year. It takes herds of people. We couldn’t do it without them. Before, day of, and after our competition, we have that support and they make it happen.
You can learn more about the organization itself through their website at https://cheerforacure.org/ or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Whitecocheeringforcure. If you’re not going to be in town, but still want to help, White County Cheering for a Cure also has a QR Code allowing you to make donations directly and securely through your phone.
To help the group and local families, Carmi Kiwanis made a $250 donation at Thursday’s meeting.