Fredonia cheerleaders hit the road on Sunday morning for the Ruck Walk for Veterans Food Drive to support veterans.
Two cheerleaders 鈥 Riley Gustafson and Tierney Kateridge 鈥 slung on backpacks filled with 20 pounds of food and completed the 6.1 mile walk. The out-and-back course took participants from Fredonia鈥檚 Barker Commons to the Dunkirk pier and then back again.
Ms. Kateridge鈥檚 family has a tradition of military service; her grandfather was in the Navy and her mother鈥檚 uncle fought in Vietnam and received a Bronze Star Medal. 鈥淭hey were definitely my motivation for the walk,鈥 she said.
Other cheerleaders 鈥 Leigha Kutas, Samantha Schwartz, Madison Miranda, Chloe Jurcsak, Kloe Samick and Sureli Honoret 鈥 provided valuable support for the hearty participants. About 65 pounds of food was donated by the Fredonia contingent.
Cheerleading advisor Julie Troche indicated the squad was looking for volunteer opportunities, and the Ruck Walk was the right ticket to support veterans for a host of reasons.
It鈥檚 important to recognize the service or military men and women, Ms. Troche explained. The walk represented a different volunteer opportunity that the cheerleaders haven鈥檛 been involved with in the past. It allows the squad to participate in an athletic event and also be involved in the community.
鈥淲e hope to be involved every year and bring in more people to support the veterans,鈥 Troche said.
