By Kim J. Harmon

For the next several months, their lives are going to be consumed with fundraising.

But for the Newtown High School cheerleaders, that’s okay. If they reach their goal of $30,000, then they will be able to fulfill a dream and head down to the UCA National Cheerleading championships in Orlando, Florida, next February.

It’s a weekend competition that requires new music and a different routine than the girls normally perform at football and basketball games.

“We’ve always said we’d go,” said co-captain Amber Butler, “but it has always been talk. But we didn’t have anyone graduate this year and decided if we were going to go any year, this would be the year. We also know this is going to take a lot of work.”

The cheerleaders’ massive fundraising campaign (seeking funds to pay for 25 team members, two coaches, and the requisite number of chaperones) began just last week by stuffing envelopes addresses to local businesses and organizations detailing what they are doing and their plans for the next several months.

According to Butler, the cheerleaders have outlined two levels of sponsorship – Blue ($50-$100) and Gold (more than $100). Each business that donated at the gold level would receive a small banner. The girls would also wear t-shirts to practices and games that have the names of their sponsors printed on them.

The mailing effort is just the first step.

The girls are also hosting a tag sale on Saturday, July 17, 9 am to 3 pm, at the Newtown Middle School (no item donations, please). There will face painting that day, as well. If there is inclement weather, the tag sale will be rescheduled.

The girls will also host car washes – the first on Saturday, July 24 (which is still tentative), and the other on Saturday, September 4. Both will be held from 9 am to 2 pm at the VFW Hall off Mile Hill Road.

And there’s more.

In addition to bakes sales, the car washes, cookie dough sales, Avon and Pampered Chef fundraisers, one of the most unique efforts will be Flamingo-A-Friend. The girls have a large number of small, pink flamingos perfect for decorating the lawn of a special friend or loved one (just call a member of the team and give them the name of your victim, er, friend).

“We have a lot of ideas,” said Butler.

The girls will be offering a clinic for Newtown Pop Warner cheerleaders August 2-6, basically taking what they learned from summer camp at Southern Connecticut State University and teaching it to the younger girls. Also Cheer Cans have been set up at a lot of local businesses where customers can drop in spare change to help the effort.

The cheerleaders would be pleased to receive any donations at all. Anyone wishing to donate can send a check to Newtown High School, c/o Cheerleaders, 12 Berkshire Road, Sandy Hook, 06482.