The 30th annual Kickathon took place at our home Norris Stadium on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. The event brought together students and teachers from all over the district. From elementary to high school, students walked the track holding their banners.
The Kickathon’s goal is to raise money for local charities and dance teams. 90 percent of the proceeds they gain from donations are given to the charities, while the other 10 percent go towards both our Saint’s dance team and the North Stars’ dance team. The charities donated to are the Fox Valley Food for Health, and the most talked about Colette A. Miles Foundation.
The foundation, known informally as “Colette’s Crew” comforts those who have been diagnosed with cancer and their families. They operate many events including their Raising Hope Dinner, SlyFox Half Marathon, and of course Kickathon!
To participate, students from the dance team asked teachers to help them reach their fundraising goals. “I was asked by a dance team member [Addison Wagner] and helped her reach her goal of earning $400 in donations. I posted the donation link on social media and shared it with my family and friends” mentioned Meghan Mitchell, a teacher who was present at the kickathon.Many of the donations raised leading up to the Kickathon helped support the foundation known as “Colette’s Crew.”
We all know that the main reason for the Kickathon event is to help “kick” cancer and provide support to those diagnosed, but Colette’s story makes the organization chosen as one of this year’s charities so important. Colette Miles was 41-years-old when she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2002. Through surgery, chemotherapy, and several doctor’s visits, she continued to have a fearless and positive demeanor with the aid of her family and friends. While living with cancer, Colette was determined to live life to the fullest and find courage in the face of disease. Colette lost her battle with cancer in 2011, but her strength and positive attitude inspired many others who were in the process of combating cancer.
The Colette A. Miles Foundation was founded to provide support to those diagnosed with cancer as well as their families.Kirsten Staker, a senior and member of the East dance team explains why Kickathon donations to charities like “Colette’s Crew” are so important for the community, saying, “[Kickathon] is a way for the community to get together and raise money for cancer patients and its a way for families who’ve been affected by cancer to get support. And it brings East and North together for a good cause.”
Meghan Mitchell, who has been a part of the Kickathon since 2021 restates how it impacts the community, “I have been a kicker since 2021! I was also a coach of the dance team for 3 Kickathons (from 2009-2011) and was able to help organize it. For every year I’ve been a part of it, on both ends as a kicker and a coach, it has always been a HUGE event. There’s that saying “it takes a village,” and for KAT, it really does! Coaches, dancers, community members, kickers, parents, family members of kickers… everyone plays an integral part in the success of this event.”
This year, the Kickathon raised over $45,000 to support cancer patients and those struggling with health crises. The Kickathon really shows support for everyone in our district who is going through hardship and brings us together in a meaningful and fun way.
