GRAND RAPIDS, Mich-- Dozens of people gathered at Davenport University Sunday to help spread some holiday cheer.
For the past three years, the Cheer Company of Michigan has collected toys for the organization Toys For Tots. Sunday marked the group's second year of hosting a charity competition for the cause.
The Cheer Company's owner, Josh Chapman is a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, who says he's committed to collecting all the toys he can for children in need.
“I’ve seen what Toys For Tots have done for families and I’ve seen the emotion that comes through,” said Chapman. “Grand Rapids is amazing. They are all about helping the community and helping each other out.”
Sunday's cheer event was free, with organizers asking for toy donations as an admission.
“We wanted to bring the cheerleaders into the community more and we wanted to teach them about charity and giving,” said Carla Colbeck, the Assistant Director of the Cheer Company of Michigan. “When you see all these toys sitting at the door it just makes it well worth it.”
Organizers say they collected about 750 toys during Sunday's event. They also raised $500 for Toys for Tots.
Cheer Company of Michigan accepts athletes between the ages of 3 and 18. They do both recreational and competitive cheerleading.
