ORLANDO, F.L. (WKBW) — Bad weather in East Coast left a Lockport cheerleading team stranded in Orlando, where they had just competed in a national championship.
The Lockport Cheer Team spent nearly the entire day at the Orlando airport trying to figure out their next steps after flights home were canceled. The group includes at least 25 girls and their chaperones, roughly 50 people total, who are now stuck in Orlando until Thursday.
To cover the unexpected costs of housing, food and transportation, the team turned to social media, asking family and friends back home for donations.
Juliana Santoro, a senior cheerleader on the Lockport Cheer Team, said the response made a difference.
“With the help of our lovely families and friends and fans at home in Lockport, they sent us very gracious donations to help us get on our feet in this situation, and I am very grateful, and so is my team, and we are in a really cool place thanks to them,” Santoro said.
I spoke with one of the coordinators shortly before this story aired. The team has since secured two Airbnbs for the group to stay in for the next few nights.
Booster coordinator Kristina Schutt said the donations are going toward several needs.
“Room and board, food and then transportation. We are kind of stuck here because it’s such a large group. Every time, we have to rent a charter bus, it’s like over $500,” Schutt said.
If you would like to help, the team is accepting donations through the following:
Despite the travel ordeal, the team has reason to celebrate. The Lockport Cheer Team finished second at nationals, falling short of first place by just 0.02 points. The entire group plans to fly home together on Thursday.