The Bundle Up Against Cancer 5k is a heart-felt tradition here at Gateway. It is not only a run/walk, but a partnership of people from the Gateway community to memorialize beloved Gateway staff members.

At the event, there is a 5k race around the Gateway campus and the Woodbury Heights surrounding area. Those who participated could run or walk the race. The winner of the race was Gateway student David Houck! Congrats to everyone who finished the race and thank you for donating to a special cause!

If you aren’t in the mood to race, you can also visit the tables of a “variety of clubs and organizations promoting both goods and their own sport or club,” as said by Amanda Warrington, a Gateway teacher who organizes the entire event.

She plans the race, does the promotion, orders t-shirts, and swag bags, and finds and places the volunteers. She works hard for this event and it does not go unnoticed.

When asked about her reason for taking on the responsibilities of the event, she spoke about Cheryl Baldasaro, a former teacher at Gateway who sadly passed away from cancer in 2018. Cheryl is remembered for being a leader in the school, “She was instrumental in getting a lot of kids the support they needed in order to graduate and feel supported enough to get their work done.”

Many students sought help from Mrs. Baldasaro to survive their rough high school experience.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Kalise Miller

Despite the cloudy and cold weather, the rain held off and everyone had a great time

Though she didn’t only support students, but her fellow staff members as well, including Ms. Warrington. Her impact affected her so greatly that she took on the 5k as part of her efforts to remember her, “Mrs. Baldasaro took care of me a lot when I first got here, and she was a close friend of mine. I know the impact she had on a lot of students’ lives and I want to make sure her impact and legacy aren’t forgotten.” 

Two graduating seniors will be awarded scholarships in the name of Cheryl Baldasaro through the money raised at the 5k. However, the money that is not awarded to the students will be sent to support the family of Jamie O’Neill, a beloved Gateway art teacher that passed away this past summer.

Mrs. Bially, our Gateway librarian, assists Mrs. Warrington with organizing volunteers and creating helpful maps for the race. She also shares the same values for why she helps with the event. When asked about her favorite part, it was, “We are all coming together to honor Jamie and get everyone together for a happier occasion.”

The Bundle Up Against Cancer 5k is still in its beginnings. Mrs. Warrington plans for the 5k to continue to be a joyous event, celebrating our late staff members who were beloved by our community. She hopes it will be able to, “support the dreams and future plans of seniors at Gateway for at least the next ten years,” while keeping the legacies of Mrs. Baldasaro and Mrs. O’Neill alive. 

Be sure to come out next year to be a part of this fantastic yearly celebration!

Thank you Ms. Warrington for all of your hard work and dedication to the event!