Former UGA Cheerleader, 85, Will Join High School Squad on Sept. 26

By Justin Ove

A former cheerleader living at a senior community will join the cheerleading squad of Pope High School in Cobb County during the team’s Sept. 26 home football game against Cherokee High School due to a student volunteer at the community and a nonprofit that grants wishes to the elderly.

Lynn, who is now 85 years old, was on her high school’s cheer squad and took her talents to the University of Georgia as a member of the Bulldogs cheerleading squad. She wanted to give cheerleading one more go, and expressed her desires to Shelby Stokes, a Pope High School student and volunteer at the Arbor Terrace of East Cobb community.

East Cobber Magazine reports that Second Wind Dreams heard about Lynn’s wish to to return to the sidelines, and helped make Lynn’s dream come true. Second Wind Dreams is a nonprofit that specializes in granting wishes to elderly people and also provides educational programs aimed at changing common conceptions of aging and the elderly.

Before the game’s 7:30 p.m. kickoff, Lynn will walk Pope’s mascot greyhound on the field as part of the pre-game ceremonies. Lynn will then join the Pope cheerleading squad for the first quarter of the game against Cherokee.