Varsity Campers Kick Off A Second Season Of Raising Funds For St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®

MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning at the end of May, Varsity's summer cheerleading camp season will kick off in all 50 states. The 350,000 cheerleaders and dancers who head to Varsity summer camps will learn cheerleading basics like crowd leading and cheers, and the safest techniques for stunting, pyramid building and spotting.

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For the second year in a row, Varsity, the leader in instructional cheerleading and dance team camps, is teaming up with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® to support its mission of finding cures for children fighting cancer and other deadly diseases. In 2011, Varsity cheerleaders and dancers raised more than $600,000 on behalf of St. Jude.

All incoming campers have been asked to gather the addresses of at least five friends and members of their families. They will then send out letters along with their teammates in the hopes of raising essential funds for the world renowned children's hospital. All campers that send their letters will receive a special Team Up for St. Jude pin from Varsity.

In addition to organizing a pep rally for the patients and staff of St. Jude on May 14 at the hospital, Varsity.com will feature only the St. Jude initiative on its homepage for a full week. Each of the 1 million website visitors will be greeted with a full page of information about the Varsity and St. Jude partnership.

"Varsity is so pleased to team up with St. Jude again this summer to help raise the funds that are so crucial to treating children with life-threatening illnesses," said Nicole Lauchaire, Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Communications. "Cheerleaders are leaders in their schools and communities, and we know they will put their all into making this initiative a success for St. Jude and for its patients."

"It's remarkable that the cheerleaders and dancers who attend Varsity camps have so much energy and enthusiasm for sharing the St. Jude mission of finding cures and saving children," said Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "These campers truly embrace the spirit of giving by raising money that helps St. Jude conduct pioneering research and provide exceptional care, all while ensuring that no family ever pays St. Jude for anything."

About Varsity

Varsity is the source for all things related to cheerleading and dance team.  With a rich heritage and traditions dating back to 1948, Varsity is an innovative global leader comprised of the leading spirit brands and organizations including its educational camps, clinics, competitions and uniforms to teams around the world. Varsity's National Championships, which are held at the Walt Disney World® Resorts, some of which have been televised on ESPN Networks for more than 25 years. Web-based Varsity TV features thousands of cheerleading and dance team videos and has become a favorite cheer destination for cheerleaders and coaches alike.  Varsity has led the way in cheerleading safety as a supporter of the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators since 1987 and as a camp leader training 350,000 cheerleaders per year in cheerleading fundamentals with an emphasis on safety. The Varsity camp brands include Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA), National Cheerleaders Association (NCA), United Cheerleading Association (USA) and American Cheerleading Association (ACA). Based in Memphis, Tennessee, Varsity employs 5,000 employees nationwide.  For more information about Varsity, please visit http://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.

Contact:

Sheila Noone
901-251-5959
[email protected]

SOURCE Varsity