Chuck Horn has been a captain for a team for the Edwardsburg Relay for Life consisting mostly family and friends for several years now.

The cause for which he champions his teams came from the personal loss of family, friends and patients to cancer. This year he struggled a bit trying to decide whether or not to put together another team of relatives.

Then he got an inspiration.

Horn’s daughter Demee is a varsity cheerleader at Edwardsburg High School. Her coach, Heather Hartley, not only had a passion for cheer according to Horn, but she mentored the squad on a personal level.

“With that in mind, I decided late spring to meet with coach and discuss forming a Relay for Life team consisting of the JV and varsity cheerleaders,” Horn said. “Prior to that I had met with Mr. (Kevin) Dean (Edwardsburg athletic director) and gave him my idea and received permission to talk to coach.

“It didn’t take much for coach to realize how much of an impact the team could have on the cause and how much fun it would be along the way.”

Hartley jumped at the idea.

“I have been truly blessed as a coach to have been allowed the opportunity to get my varsity cheerleaders and my JV coach Scarlett Pinkston’s cheerleaders involved in such an amazing event to give back,” she said. “I have an outstanding group of parents as a whole on my varsity team always asking to help or to be involved.

“This year is the first year that the EHS cheerleading team has been on a relay team and it is all due to two parents who have taken the time to organize everything and keep everyone in the loop. A huge thank you goes to Chuck and Trena Horn who have given up their time to organize this team. We would not have been able to do this without you guys.”

Despite their limited time, the cheerleaders have been extremely busy raising money for the Edwardsburg Relay for Life event, which will be held in the parking lot at Edwardsburg Middle School Saturday and Sunday. Relay for Life runs from 10 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday.

The cheerleaders decided to sell tickets to a South Bend Silver Hawks game. The goal was to have each of the 35 cheerleaders to sell 10 tickets. The fundraiser was a huge success because the team surpassed its goal by selling 380 tickets for a total of $1,140 for Relay.

Demee Horn sold the most tickets with 61, while Alexis Mayou sold 49 tickets. Both received gift certificates for mani/pedis and Mayou got to throw out the first pitch at the Silver Hawks game June 28 after Demee declined. Mayou opted to have her little sister throw out the first pitch instead.

The Silver Hawks raffled off a ball that was donated and autographed by the team.

Each member of the cheerleading team was given a HOPE sheet, which is compiled with squares making the word HOPE. Each square is equivalent to anywhere from $1 to $5. Once each squad is completed, $100 has been raised.

“We set a goal for each cheerleader to attempt to accomplish this and they are still striving to do so,” Horn said. “Brittany Bowman was the first to complete hers along with Olivia Hartline. Whoever raises the most personal funds will earn four weeks of free tumbling from a great gym in our area Indiana Ultimate.”

During the Relay for Life event, the cheerleaders will have a dunk tank, which will be open from noon until 8:30 p.m. Dean and Hartley are just two volunteers to get dunked.