Seahawks cheerleaders put on show
Pfc. George L. Rivas/5th MPAD
Northwest Guardian
December 9th, 2010
The Sea Gals, the professional cheerleading squad for the National Football League’s Seattle Seahawks, performed and entertained servicemembers and their families as part of the 2010 Holiday Show at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Saturday.
During the show, the group performed game-day dance routines, and Christmas carols — and even got the crowd involved with a dance-off and a relay for children. The winners received prizes from Blitz, the Seahawks official mascot.
“This is the fourth time in the past five years that we have done something like this for the JBLM community,” said Miranda, a four-year-veteran of the squad. “It’s our way of giving back to the Soldiers and their families.”
Sea Gal Miranda said the cheerleaders volunteered for the opportunity to interact with children. Working with the youngest members of the audience is the best part for many of the cheerleaders, she said.
Almost 150 children participated on stage. The Sea Gals split them into three age groups. The groups consisted of children in the ages of 5 to 6, ages 7 to 9 and ages 10 and older.
Sea Gals Miranda, Andrea, and Alexa arrived on base at 9 a.m. the day of the show to rehearse with the children scheduled to participate. Esmeralda and Giselle Caro, children of Sgt. Francisco Caro, currently deployed with the 864th Engineer Battalion, were two of the children who ran down the aisle and up the stairs to the stage when their age group was called.
Adriana Caro, mother of the two girls, said they performed with the Sea Gals last year but she was unable to attend due to an illness so her husband went to the show.
“This is my chance to see them perform,” said Caro. “I’m very excited, not only for myself but for them as well.”
She mentioned the girls had a lot of fun.
Prior to the Sea Gals performance, a long line of community members waited outside Carey Theater to receive gifts donated to the event by vendors associated with JBLM’s Post Exchange. Roughly $100,000 in gifts was donated for the event, according to Patrick McGhee, the JBLM Exchange manager.
After receiving gifts, families were ushered inside the theater, where more prizes were given away through raffle drawings. Prizes included Nintendo Wiis, flat panel televisions, Apple iPads and iPods. One audience member was chosen as the biggest Seahawks fan and given two tickets to a Seahawks game.
After McGhee raffled off the last prize for the night, the lights dimmed and the night’s main event began with the Sea Gals taking the stage to a standing ovation that lasted for most of their performance.
“It’s an honor for us to be able to perform for not only the Soldiers but their families,” said Miranda. “Anytime we can do anything for the troops who serve our country, it’s always an honor.”
