The Kutztown/Brandywine Youth Football and Cheer Association held a Memorial Sky Lantern Release on Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Kutztown Park youth football field to benefit the families of the late Michael Bailey and Heather Delp.
“This was a really well attended event,” said photographer Dennis Krumanocker. “It was a really neat thing to witness.”
Bailey and Delp were coaches in the Kutztown/Brandywine youth football and cheer program.
“Mike was a wonderful husband and father to his wife and three children. He loved to race and coach,” according to the association’s release. “Heather was an amazing single parent of six beautiful children. She gave her children all the love and support they needed. Both Mike and Heather are missed greatly by all of those who know them. We decided to honor everything they did for the youth program, by trying to give back to their families. They were part of our family and we are all better for knowing them.”
All proceeds from this event will be sent to the families memorial fund.
Individual lanterns were sold for a minimum donation of $5. There was also a Chinese auction, music and food available for purchase. The proceeds from these sales will also go to the fund.
The lantern release was a controlled release. Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity Brothers volunteered to help participants light their flame so that the lanterns would fly, said Krumanocker.
The Kutztown Fire and ambulance personnel were also present at the event.
