Top "Team Up For St. Jude" Fundraisers Gather In Memphis For Recognition

MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the eleven squads who raised the most donations as part of the "Team Up For St. Jude, Spirited By Varsity" campaign were invited to visit Memphis as a reward for their fundraising efforts benefiting the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®.

The Memphis visit included dinner at a local restaurant, a special arts and crafts session at the St. Jude Target House, a tour of the world renowned St. Jude and a recognition lunch where each team was cited for their participation. The teams also performed for the patients and visitors to the hospital.

Varsity, the leader in instructional cheerleading and dance team camps, first teamed up with St. Jude in 2011 to challenge the 350,000 cheerleading and dance team camp attendees, along with all Varsity employees, to help raise valuable funds for this invaluable cause.  In all, the partnership has raised 1.5 million dollars for St. Jude.

For the 2014 camp season, Varsity has re-committed to St. Jude, and will continue the successful letter campaign they began four years ago.  All incoming campers are being asked to bring five addresses with them to camp of family and friends to send donation letters on behalf of St. Jude in the hope of raising donations. Every camper that brings five letters to camp will receive a special "Team Up for St. Jude" pin.

"I can't think of a better partnership than St. Jude and Varsity. We are so proud of our cheerleaders and dancers and the care they put into this project," said Nicole Lauchaire, Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Communications at Varsity. "Cheerleaders and dancers lead by example, and we know they serve as role models when they help on projects such as this one. Thanks to them, this initiative has continued to be a success for St. Jude and for its patients."

"We are so grateful for our partnership with Varsity, and we love the energy and enthusiasm that their young athletes show for St. Jude," said Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "By participating in Team Up, Varsity campers are helping St. Jude conduct pioneer research and provide world-class care and treatment at no cost to families, giving hope to kids fighting cancer and other deadly diseases so that one day they can make their own camp memories."

For more information, or a list of the high schools recognized, please contact Sheila Noone, [email protected] or 901-251-5959.

About Varsity
Varsity is the source for all things cheerleading and dance.  Founded in 1974, the organization has become an innovative global leader comprised of top spirit brands and organizations. Varsity is a leader in uniform innovation, and more than 350,000 cheerleaders and dancers attend Varsity educational camps and clinics per year. Varsity's National Cheer and Dance Championships, many of which are held at the Walt Disney World® Resorts, have been televised on ESPN Networks for more than 25 years.  Leading the way in cheerleading safety, Varsity has been an avid supporter of the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators since 1987. Based in Memphis, Tennessee, the organization employs 5,000 employees nationwide.  For more information about Varsity, please visit www.varsity.com.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 
Since opening 50 years ago, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has changed the way the world treats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. No family ever pays St. Jude for the care their child receives and, for every child treated here, thousands more have been saved worldwide through St. Jude discoveries. The hospital has played a pivotal role in pushing U.S. pediatric cancer survival rates from 20 to 80 percent overall, and is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted to children. It is also a leader in the research and treatment of blood disorders and infectious diseases in children. St. Jude was founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas, who believed that no child should die in the dawn of life. Join that mission by visiting stjude.org or following us on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.

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SOURCE Varsity