Cheerleading squads help World War II vets visit memorial

Thirteen World War II veterans will get free trips to see the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., thanks to the Batavia High School varsity and junior varsity cheerleading squads.

The 42 cheerleaders raised $6,700 Nov. 4 with "Flippin' and Flyin'," a tumbling and cheer stunts exhibition at their annual open house.

Each girl asked members of the Batavia community to sponsor her for the event, vowing to collect at least $100 each.

The charity was chosen by their coach, Lynette Olexa. She thought the girls should do something for veterans for their annual service project, and somebody directed her to Honor Flight.

"I watched the video, I got choked up. I thought 'This is it. This is what we have to do,'" Olexa said.

The cheerleaders have raised money for charity for five years - "because Batavia is good to us," Olexa said.

The projects also help the girls.

"These young athletes need to become part of their community," she said.

A representative of Honor Flight came out to speak to the girls about the program. Veterans are taken on one-day trips to see the memorial. It costs about $500 a person.

"The kids learned so much about veterans," Olexa said.

In previous years, the cheerleaders donated $6,000 to buy sensory tables for the Early Childhood Center at Alice Gustafson Elementary School, and volunteered in the classrooms. They raised money for Elderday Center, visited the care program weekly to play games with the clients and arranged to have the clients ride in the homecoming parade - "that one was pretty fun," Olexa said.

They gave $5,000 to a Batavia group home for developmentally disabled women, so the residents could have a computer system with adaptive devices.

"Those gals still come to our basketball games," Olexa said.

And cheerleaders raised $4,500 to buy a special bicycle for a disabled boy.

"They're normal kids. They do normal things. But they are really a good group," Olexa said.