Trinity kicker dedicates football season to helping kids with cancer
Courtesy of Andy Palm
Trinity Hillers kicker Andy Palm raises money for childhood cancer research with each extra point he converts during the football season.
Trinity Hillers kicker Andy Palm raises money for childhood cancer research with every extra point he scores during the 2023 football season.
Trinity Hillers place kicker Andy Palm
Courtesy of Jen Penak
Andy Palm
Every time Trinity Hillers kicker Andy Palm jogs onto the football field after a Hiller touchdown and sends the ball through the yellow goal posts, he does more than add a point to the scoreboard.
Palm has dedicated his football season to Kick-It Champions, a program of the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a nonprofit that raises money for childhood cancer research.
Supporters can help Palm raise funds by donating a dollar amount each time he kicks an extra point.
As the Hillers prepare to play Greater Latrobe on Friday, Palm’s fundraising has hit $628, surpassing his goal of $500.
Alex’s Lemonade Stand’s Kick-It Champion program was started by then-Ohio State University kicker Matt Colella, who battled cancer while he was in middle school.
Inspired to give back, Colella asked friends, family and fans to pledge a dollar amount for each point he scored or to make a one-time donation to his cause.
Since Kick-It became a part of Alex’s Lemonade in 2017, more than 2,000 kickers have raise more than $1.5 million for childhood cancer research.
“All of that money has been raised through these kids who dedicate their season to something much bigger than their football season,” said Daniel Silvernail, community engagement coordinator for Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
Palm heard about the Kick-It campaign this summer while attending Kohl’s National Scholarship Camp in Gatlinburg, Tenn., which draws the top kickers, punters and long snappers in the country.
“I thought it was a really good cause, and I wanted to do what I can to help out,” said Palm, a junior honor student who also plays soccer.
Trinity Area School District has been impacted by cancer and most recently has rallied around Trinity Middle School student Isabelle Heather, who is battling Ewing’s sarcoma.
The football team sponsored an Izzy Strong night at a recent home football game, and Trinity Cares Club sells T-shirts at the high school to battle cancer.
On Friday, the district will recognize Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by holding a Cancer Awareness Shirt Day. Students and staff are encouraged to wear Izzy Strong T-shirts in support of Isabelle, or any cancer awareness shirt.
Said Trinity Area School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Lucas, “It is tremendous to see student leaders stepping up to help the fight against cancer.”
Palm’s fundraiser, Kicking for a Cure, runs through Oct. 27, and he has set a new goal to raise more than $1,000.
“He’s crushing his goal. It’s awesome to see these guys, not even halfway through the season, exceeding their goals. Every $50 he raises goes toward an hour of research, and we tell the kids, you never know what hour of research a cure will be found,” said Silvernail.
Palm, of South Strabane Township, credits much of the fundraiser’s success to the donors, his parents, Jennifer Penak and Nathan Palm, and his football coach, who have supported his efforts, and especially the Hillers football team.
Donations can be made on X (formerly Twitter) by visiting @andypalmmm.
“I credit my team. If they weren’t doing their job and scoring touchdowns, I wouldn’t be able to kick those extra points,” said Palm. “It comes down to my team doing their job and scoring a lot of touchdowns. I’m just glad to be able to use my talents to help out a good cause.”