Batavia cheerleaders raising money for Elderday Center

The Batavia High School cheerleaders are planning to "flip and fly" to benefit the Elderday Center next month.

The teams are soliciting donations for the nonprofit senior day care center based at Bethany Lutheran Church in Batavia.

They will perform at an open house at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at the high school, 1200 W. Wilson St.

They hope to raise $3,800 -- $100 for each cheerleader -- in order to buy the center a surveillance system.

For the past three years, the cheerleaders have picked a community organization or individual to raise money for, event co-chair Gretchen Schrader said.

In the first two years, they raised money to buy a bicycle for a special-needs child and for a local halfway house for women.

The teams will be cheering and tumbling during the one-hour performance.

Three Elderday clients are Batavia graduates, and one was a Batavia cheerleader, Schrader said. The junior varsity team has been visiting with some of the clients weekly.

They plan to present the donation at halftime of the Dec. 4 Batavia basketball game.

The cheerleading team made a presentation at the Batavia City Council meeting this week about the fundraiser.

Mayor Jeff Schielke applauded their effort.

"We appreciate all the good work you do on behalf of the community," he said.

Donations will be accepted at the event, or anyone interested in donating can call Schrader at (630) 406-9321.