Cheerleaders from Emporia High School raised more than $4,000 on behalf of a local child, 2-year-old Avery Hart, who suffers from Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. The fundraising was done in conjunction with an event held recently in Kansas City.
The cheerleaders’ funds were added to those raised by Avery’s father, EHS Athletic Director Britton Hart, and her mother Lisa and others. A grand total of $15,000 was contributed in Avery’s name during the Second Annual Step Forward to Cure Tuberous Sclerosis Complex held Sept. 13 in Shawnee Mission Park. Lisa Hart was co-chairman of the event. The Hart family came to Emporia from Olathe last year.
“We are overwhelmed and humbled by the outpouring of support from the Emporia community,” Lisa Hart said in an e-mail after the event. “We had no idea what to expect, but never in our wildest dreams did we expect the squad to bring in $4,000!”
The cheerleaders raised the single largest amount of money brought in by any group at the walk, and “Avery’s Avengers” team raised a total of $15,000 overall, which was the largest amount brought in by any of the 10 teams in the event, she said.
The cheerleaders’ fundraising drive was done through a “blitz,” after EHS language arts teacher and cheerleader advisor Tara Henton split the town into neighborhoods and sent the cheerleaders out in small groups.
The cheerleaders had chosen the walk in Kansas City as one of its two annual community service projects, Henton said.
“And oh my goodness,” Henton said, “... each group hit well over 50 houses a group, and I would venture to say they hit over 100 houses in each group.”
The first outing, held on a weekday evening until dark, brought in a substantial amount of money, but the cheerleaders wanted to do more.
“Actually, they ran out of time that evening and several of them went back out evenings after that and on the weekend, on their own time,” Henton said. “They continued to fundraise for the next week after that as well.”
Staff at the high school raised about $300, which the cheerleaders chose to give to Britton Hart for a fundraising contest between him and the father of another child with TSC.
“Britton had his own fund that he did as well. He was in a contest with another father up there and so he raised right around $4,000,” Henton said. “I think we beat him by around $60. ... We really wanted him to beat this other guy.”
Money raised from the walk will be given to the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance for research, she said.
“Several times we caught Britton and Lisa teary-eyed over the girls doing so much for them,” Henton said. “It was really touching for them to have such support from the community here. I don’t think they expected that.”
Henton is equally pleased about the effort her group made to help Avery and her family.
“It’s just an amazing thing that these girls opened up their hearts and took away their personal time for another family,” she said. “As a coach I was extremely happy and proud of my girls for putting out that effort and working so hard with them.”
A five-person team of cheerleaders — Aubrey Armitage, Stephenie Kelley, Drew Garza, Olivia Granado and Chelsea Kessler — raised the largest amount, with $1,228.21 brought in. The second-place group raised almost $1,100.