Kick in at St. Charles benefit for cancer society

Submitted by St. Charles North High School

Eighteen years ago, the annual St. Charles High School Kick-A-Thon started as a way for the school drill team to raise money. The team raised so much money, they decided to donate some to the American Cancer Society in Rose Drach's name. Drach was a former St. Charles teacher, battling cancer. When St. Charles High School split into East and North, the Kick-A-Thon took on a new dimension. The annual event has united both drill teams in working for a common cause. This year is the 18th annual event, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, during the St. Charles East vs. St. Charles North football game at Norris Stadium.

“It brings our community together, teams together and two schools together,” said St. Charles North drill team coach Nancy Franson. “Our kids get to know each other. Even though we do compete, we can still work together and achieve something so positive.”

The girls have raised money by collecting at various locations around the community, selling T-shirts and bracelets, as well as by receiving generous donations from sponsors, family and friends. In 2010, the drill teams raised more than $74,000 for the American Cancer Society and LivingWell Cancer Resource Center in Geneva. The teams have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past 18 years. The final dollar amount won't be announced until the East-North basketball game on Feb. 8, 2012, when the school drill teams present the check to representatives from the American Cancer Society and the LivingWell Cancer Resource Center in Geneva, which provides meals and educational resources for cancer patients.

Anyone wanting to donate can go online and visit www.kick-a-thon.org or ask any drill team member for more information. This year's Kick-A-Thon chairwomen for St. Charles East are Ann Byington, annbyington2@aol.com and Gretchen Murphy, gretchenmurphy6@sbcglobal.net and for St. Charles North Shirley Wehking, wehking@comcast.net.