On Saturday, September 21, student athletes from Byron-Bergen and Caledonia-Mumford joined over 400 other participants on the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Batavia. Byron-Bergen’s participation in this annual event began three years ago when the combined Caledonia-Mumford/Byron-Bergen varsity football team decided to take part.
“In the past, the team used to do a cancer walk, but our soccer teams do a cancer fundraiser, so we thought it would be good to give to a different organization,” said Byron-Bergen senior and varsity football co-captain Bryce Yockel.
The team raised money, but they also raised awareness. “We made posters in honor of different community members affected by the disease that we posted around the area. We made one for my grandfather who has Alzheimer’s,” said Byron-Bergen senior and varsity football player Alex Dean.
“I’m proud to walk with members of our football and soccer teams,” said Byron-Bergen High School Principal Pat McGee. “They’re great kids supporting a great cause.”
“It’s really about the feel good part,” said Yockel. “It’s helping people who are struggling and can’t do anything about it. A lot of the people who are in the walk are older, a lot of them are walking for themselves, so it feels good to support them.”
This year, the football team was joined by members of the Byron-Bergen girls varsity soccer team. The football and soccer players’ combined efforts raised more than $900. The day’s event raised a total of more than $40,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association and had 441 individual participants.
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