ACE Cheer Company and Cheer for a Cause have united to raise funds for Coach Matt McCallum’s kidney transplant. Matt’s kidneys were damaged when he was just seven years old. Now 24, and on dialysis for nearly four years, he will receive a life saving kidney transplant on November 11th.
Birmingham, Alabama, November 9, 2010 – ACE Cheer Company is truly a family of all kinds and a family of caring and loving people from all over this country! This year, ACE was called to do something very special for one of their own. They teamed up with Cheer for a Cause and kicked off a fundraiser at their Meet the Tribe Showcase in October to help Matt McCallum with the enormous expenses he faces.
Matt, a 24-year-old coach in the Murfreesboro gym, will receive a kidney transplant on November 11th. What’s really special is that the donor is Kelley Zeringue, wife of ACE co-owner JR Zeringue! Although 100% of the donor’s expenses are covered by the Kidney Donor Fund, Matt’s medical expenses and medications are not covered and are estimated to be $200,000. A direct donation link to the Fund is on ACE’s home page at http://www.acetribe.com.
JR Zeringue, co-owner of the Gadsden gym, and organizer of the event says, “We would appreciate any help you can offer toward our endeavor to help this young man live a normal life.” JR and owner Happy Hooper knew Matt’s need would be felt deeply by the ACE family of teams.
ACE Cheer Company and Cheer for a Cause are reaching out to our U.S.-wide cheer family and even our global family to help this young man. They have produced a video and posted it on YouTube to share his message. Will you rise to the call for help from the Tribe?
When Matt was seven, doctors found a blockage in his urinary tract that damaged his kidneys. At age 21, Matt’s kidneys completely shut down and he has been on dialysis ever since. Matt worked at ACE’s Murfreesboro gym since 2005, and moved from Premier to ACE this April. He cheered at Middle Tennessee State University for two years and met his wife, Brittany, at the ACE gym (both coach at the Murfreesboro gym). The two are newlyweds, and were married on March 6th.
The Meet the Tribe event brought in $7,200 toward The Matt McCallum Kidney Transplant Fund. Last Sunday, JR participated in a benefit motorcycle ride for Matt in Fort Payne, and they raised an additional $200!
On the “Praying for Matt McCallum & Kelley Zeringue” Facebook group, JR Zeringue posted yesterday, “I just wanted to share the first bit of great news. Matt and Kelley preregistered today and due to your generosity Matt and Britt were able to pay their copayment today and received a 20% discount for paying it up front! Praise God!” This is a first step toward this young couple being able to meet the enormous obligations they face for continuing healthcare and medication. And they’re counting on our help.
Coach Julie Bolton, founder of Cheer for a Cause, said, “There is an tremendous amount of passion and heart within the cheer community. And Matt’s need gives us an opportunity to unite to make a significant difference in his life.”
ACE Cheer Company was founded in Alabama in 1999, and is beginning their 11th season. ACE includes six locations: Homewood, Fairhope/Eastern Shore and Gadsden, AL; Atlanta, GA; Murfreesboro and Nashville, TN. ACE is a progressive, national and world recognized leader in the competitive cheerleading industry and has grown to be one of the largest all-star programs in the world. ACE Cheer Company has been featured in Gymnastics Technique Magazine, American Cheerleader, Inside Cheerleading, Cheer Coach and Advisor, CheerBiz News, All-Star Cheer and The Cheerleader Magazine. ACE has also been recognized by various other media sources, such as The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, ESPN, Fox Sports, Discovery Channel, state/local cable channels, newspapers, a feature a spot on the Disney Channel and in the 2009 USASF national promotion campaign. In 2009, American Cheerleader Magazine again ranked ACE in the top 15 programs in the nation.
Cheer for a Cause is based in Lake Mary, FL, and was founded by Julie Bolton. Their mission is to unite the Cheer World through charitable causes and create a global impact.
Look for Cheer for a Cause to show up at an event near you! Reach Cheer for a Cause at [email protected] or on facebook groups at Cheer for a Cause. Their website, which is being donated by Jam Spirit Sites, will be up at http://www.cheerforacause.org by December 1st.
Andre J. Carter 
Leave a comment