Leelanau Investing For Teens (LIFT), the Suttons Bay-based organization that provides “free, out-of-schooltime” activities for 6-12th graders in Leelanau County, last week announced the launch of a new program called the “Community Cheer Squad.” Described as “a volunteer-based group dedicated to boosting the morale of high school athletes and creating a fun and energetic atmosphere in the stands,” the cheer squad is set to “officially kick off” this week.

“One of the things that we do as an organization is look at our communities to find the areas of strength, and the areas where there could be positive growth,” LIFT Founder and Executive Director Rebekah TenBrink tells the Leelanau Ticker. “One of those things is we noticed that when we go to sporting events or those types of events at the schools, the stands can sometimes look kind of bare. So, with our entourage of volunteers, we created a cheer squad. These are community volunteers that wear a shirt that says ‘Cheer Squad’ and has all four Leelanau public schools [Suttons Bay, Northport, Glen Lake, and Leland] in each quadrant of the shirt. They are simply there to cheer, and to help the students know that there are people in the community supporting them.”

According to a press release, the Community Cheer Squad is open to community members “of all ages and backgrounds,” so long as they are “passionate about supporting Leelanau youth and cheering on our local teams.” Those interested in volunteering to be part of group can sign up on the LIFT website to receive a weekly cheer squad newsletter, which will outline athletic schedules for the coming week. Members can then attend as many events as they choose, repping their Cheer Squad shirts and joining up with other community members wearing the shirts. Shirts are $10 and “will be a free ticket to every game.”

“We believe that sports have the power to bring people together, lift our youth up, and create a sense of community pride," said LIFT Volunteer Director Courtney Gorman of the new Cheer Squad program. “We invite everyone to join us in spreading positivity and encouragement at Leelanau Public School sporting events.”