Cheer Team To Host Bake Sale July 27

The Young Champions Cheer America Team of Cheboygan, Clark Township, and Indian River includes (back row, from left) Mollie Dunn, coach Mandi Layman, Ashley Lamoreaux, Cara Hakola, Kay Ostwald; (front row) Mikaela Verville, Brandi Bennett, Hattie Behm, and Daeshawna Nye. (Photograph courtesy of Robin Hakola)

A group of Cheboygan, Clark Township, and Indian River children will compete in the National Young Champions Cheer America championship in Madison, Wisconsin, Saturday, August 4. The team will raise money to help offset the cost of the trip over the next two months, and will host a bake sale Friday, July 27, from 9 a.m. to noon at Cedarville Foods on M-134 in Cedarville.

The team is comprised of Hattie Behm, Brandi Bennett, Mollie Dunn, and Ashley Lamoreaux, all of Indian River, Kay Ostwald and Mikaela Verville, both of Cheboygan, Cara Hakola of Cedarville, and Daeshawna Nye of Hessel. They practice at Little Bear East Arena in St. Ignace, coached by Mandi Layman of Indian River.

The team performs a competitive dance and pompom routine, as well as a group cheer, and competes at level three. They placed first in the regional contest at Indian River, which allowed them to advance to state level competition in Grand Rapids June 2. There they earned enough points to qualify for national competition.

The girls plan to leave Michigan August 3. They are selling candy bars at Central Savings Bank in Cedarville. Candy can be purchased or donations made by calling Robin Hakola at (906) 484-6202, or any of cheerleaders.