Bishop Dunne Hosts “Spreading Good Cheer” Event for the Hungry

Over 300 middle school cheerleaders attended the 8th Annual “Spreading Good Cheer” cheerleading and dance team exhibition held Saturday, November 22, 2014, on the Bishop Dunne Campus.

Held prior to the “Catholic Bowl,” the middle school football championship, the event has been held since the fall of 2007, giving Dallas Parochial League cheer squads a chance to celebrate a successful season with an exhibition for parents and friends.

The “cheer off” began partnering the event with a drive to benefit a local charity, and the idea of donating jars of peanut butter to help feed the hungry was suggested. Since then the event has gained momentum and grown to help create a diocesan-wide non-competitive event, with Catholic Charities adopted as the permanent beneficiary of the donated peanut butter.

More than 3,000 jars of peanut butter were donated this year, enough to feed 66,000 persons served by Catholic Charities of Dallas.

“It was a cool event,” said Bishop Dunne’s Women’s Assistant Athletic Director Becky Sivinksi. “I know it started years ago with just a few girls. There were over 300 cheering this year, with some participants arriving by 7:50 in the morning. We had cheerleaders in the gym, the foyer, all over the school. Each squad donated peanut butter, performed one routine, and then watched the other squads.”

The free event is a joyful showcase of the squads with parents, friends, and cheerleaders applauding for every squad. Awards were given to the squads who “raised” and donated the most peanut butter. “There was a “Large School” award and a “Small School” award for the most peanut butter collected,” Ms. Sivinski explained. “Next year I’d like to get our whole school involved.”

For more information on the event, please contact Becky Sivinski at bsivinkis@bdcs.org or see the school’s website at www.bdcs.org.