Introducing Cheer for a Cause

A new place for the cheer world to unite and support causes affecting our global cheer family

Cheerleading athletes of all ages, teams, coaches, families and friends now have a place to share their stories of hope, efforts to help others and increase awareness of causes that directly affect their lives.

Lake Mary, Florida, October 4, 2010 – Cheer for a Cause is bold, fierce, and the first and only place to unify the giving and giving-back efforts within our global cheerleading community! The idea is simple. Each month Cheer for a Cause will select a trusted cause or charity. Then they will reach out to our cheer world family to give a gift of $1. They plan to make it personal, and introduce us to members of the cheer world family whose lives have been affected by the causes they support.

On their facebook group page, which had nearly 600 members before the launch, October 2010 is month 1 – breast cancer awareness, research and treatment. Cheer for a Cause selected Susan B. Komen’s Passionately Pink for the Cure® initiative and has a team donation page set up at www.info-komen.org/goto/cheerforacause. They really only ask for a dollar, and the page says, “Each $1 represents a caring sharing heart within our cheer world.”

Coach Julie Bolton is the enthusiastic founder of Cheer for a Cause. She says, “These are tough times. We all recognize there are needs greater than our own. One of our goals at Cheer for a Cause is to give our cheer family a means to give back in a way that each of us can. And our lives change as we change the lives of others.”

Causes planned in the upcoming months include Juvenile Diabetes and an anniversary cause in January benefiting Hope for Haiti, a charity founded by Maddie Gardner of North Carolina’s 2010 world champion Cheer Extreme Senior Elite allstars.

Cheer for a Cause will share stories and pictures of fundraising efforts and community projects that athletes, teams and coaches participate in that relate to the cause for that particular month. Because there are so many potential causes, they will also feature efforts that may not directly relate to the current month’s cause.

Cheer for a Cause plans a fully interactive website at www.cheerforacause.org. They hope to present the site in several languages, but for now facebook is the hub. Cheer for a Cause is looking for sponsors and partnerships to spread the word by providing the group vendor space at competitions and conventions to promote unity in giving and reach what Coach Julie calls a “World of Spirit”. The Cheer World is diverse and everyone is welcome at Cheer for a Cause.

Cheer Moms, an affiliate of Cheer Channel, is partnering with Cheer for a Cause to encourage participation through their new website and forums set to launch Monday, October 4th. Nikki DeLude, co-founder of Cheer Moms promotes, “Teaching our children to share their giving hearts and efforts with those living through challenges or adversity, is important for all parents. Cheer for a Cause provides an inspiring connection of love for our cheer family!”

Rayna Marques of Canada’s Cheer Sport Great White Sharks, has already reached out to Cheer for a Cause. She heard about Cheer for a Cause through Ashleen Gaddy, a writer for Cheer Live and cheer friend in Texas! Rayna and her team, along with Canada’s Cheer Sport Sharks’ gym owner Ali Moffatt, ran in a 5k Run for the Cure on October 3rd. This event, along with participation information, and a video will be featured on the page! Rayna is inspired to help others, and was in charge of filming the event! The team has two moms that are breast cancer survivors, an aunt that passed away and the hope that should any of their shark sisters face this disease that there will be a cure! Every one of Cheer Sports’ 35 teams participates in a charitable cause! That’s something to be proud of!

Cheer for a Cause is also looking for suggestions for causes, video messages of hope and reports to post on the page. Do you have a story to share?

Coach Julie Bolton is the Cheer Mom of many grown up cheerleaders and some little ones! She is the founder of Cheer for a Cause, a project designed to unite the cheer world through charitable causes and create a global impact. She is the owner of Coach Julie Cheers, and produces cheerleading training DVDs that are endorsed by the National Cheer Safety Foundation. She has 15 years experience in youth cheer, 11 years as a head coach, and volunteer-coaches three teams. Coach Julie is passionate about safety, mentoring youth and building self-esteem through the sport of cheer!

Look for Cheer for a Cause to show up at an event near you! Reach Cheer for a Cause at [email protected] or on facebook groups at Cheer for a Cause (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=136912093002956&ref=mf).

Cheer For A Cause