Holmdel Cheer Forgoes Cheers and Flips for Bread and Chips.

        (Holmdel NJ, November 8, 2012)  This week, Holmdel's AYC Division 12 cheer team decided to forgo cheers and flips for bread and chips.  The Holmdel cheerleaders pooled their monies to buy bread, cold cuts, cookies and snacks.  In true assembly line fashion, the girls set up at the home of one of our cheer Mom’s, and the work began.  The girls made over 700 sandwiches, from chicken salad to cold cuts, to peanut and jelly.  Over 30 trays of sandwiches were made in a few hours but the hard work hadn’t even begun.  The vans were loaded and the girls piled in to bring the food to those in need.

         As the vans drove through Union Beach the despair was apparent on the faces of some of the residents.  The food was then brought to Boldger Middle School in Keansburg, which seemed like a staging area for the community.  The school looked like an apocalyptic movie scene, with huge trucks loading and unloading food and supplies, with groups of people standing in line huddled for warmth, patiently waiting their turn.  As the girls placed the food on the stage ledge they turned to see girls their own age and younger coming up to thank them and take from the trays.   We were then told the food was needed elsewhere, so half the trays were brought to a Senior Center nearby.   

Holmdel’s cheer commissioner, Lisa Nuzzi had this to say about the team, “Holmdel cheerleaders and parents are one amazing group of people. They jumped in full force to help those in need. They couldn't do enough and nothing was too much to ask from them. From collecting needed items, to sorting them, to making sandwiches and delivering them. This is one group of girls that have truly touched not only my heart forever but also the hearts of all those who have the pleasure of knowing their kindness and generosity. I am one very proud cheer commissioner!” Jade D’Agostino shared this “I've always known how truly amazing these girls are. They are superstars on the mat, but more importantly off the mat as well. They have shown great maturity and compassion for their community. I have always been proud of them, but now more so than ever. 

          This team' days have been split between sorting clothes in the Tee Pee Practice center in Keyport, NJ, and delivering the clothes to those in need.  The food may have filled many a stomach that day; the clothes may have helped keep them warm; but the girls experienced the love and caring that goes into making up a community, an experience they will never forget, as tears filled their eyes and those of the mothers that traveled with them. God Bless our community, made strong by love, families and the children.