A cheerleading squad for children with special needs, the Rocket Elite Special Stars is on their way to a National competition in Disney World thanks to some generous donations.
Last November, NBC10Philadelphia’s Stacey Stauffer caught up with the squad that was started by Carrie Eager, a 17-year-old high school senior. The team was hoping to raise $10,000 to fund the trip to Florida -- as of Monday they have twice that much.
Eager says $17,000 came from an anonymous man who saw the cheerleaders on the news and wanted to fund the whole trip.
“It was one of the best moments in my life,” Eager said in a phone-interview. “It really showed me how kind people can be.”
The donations will not only fund this year’s trip to Disney, but also allow the team to continue operating in the future. Eager is also hopeful that there will be more trips to come.
The nine-member squad is made up of cheerleaders ages 10 to 18 from across Northhampton County.
Eager started the team last summer -- giving up a spot on her own cheerleading team the Rocket Elite All Stars to coach the Special Stars.
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By November the squad already had high hopes for a chance to compete at Disney’s National competition among other special need squads. The coaches reached out to the community to help fund the trip.
The hard work of Eager and fellow head coaches Heidi Detadua and Gab Carson will pay off as their team will take center stage this Saturday and Sunday in Orlando.
