~by Taylor Teays for the Scranton Journal | photo courtesy of Bridget Allen
Nathan Behne, kicker for the Greene County football team, has more than just college prospects riding on his senior football season as he raises money for childhood cancer with every point he scores.
Last summer, Behne attended the Kohl’s National Showcase, a national kicking and punting camp, in Gatlinburg, where he heard about the partnership with Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a foundation for childhood cancer. He learned that he could sign up and take donations or pledges for a personal goal in an effort to raise money for awareness and research for childhood cancer.
“I thought it was a great opportunity to use my talents to support a good cause,” explained Behne.
Behne’s close friend and classmate, Landon Martin, succumbed to brain cancer on what would’ve been their first day of seventh grade. Martin was the first person Behne was introduced to when he moved to town in kindergarten, making the two fast friends.
When talking about Martin, Behne said: “He was full of energy, always up for fun and had a great sense of humor. I knew when he was around, we would always have a good time. He was always joking and laughing. I remember the day he called to tell me he had been diagnosed with brain cancer, and the short fight he had after. He worked so hard to have a positive attitude and we still made lots of fun memories during that time.”
This is the second year of Behne’s fundraising efforts. Last season, he set his goal at $2,500, and ended up raising $6,842.
With the momentum of more than doubling his goal amount, Behne hoped to raise $5,000 this season. As of Sept. 25, Behne had raised $5,288 after kicking 32 points so far this season.
“Cancer has taken many important people from my life, and it kills more children than any other disease. It’s easy to feel helpless against such a horrid disease and I wanted to do something,” said Behne. “Support from friends, family and community members has made surpassing my goal a reality. It speaks volumes to the impact cancer has on us all and shows that we’re all in this together, doing what we can to make a difference.”
So far, there have been donations from $10 to $300, with pledges ranging from $1 to $50 per point. Anyone wanting to donate can do so until the last game of the year, including playoffs. To follow the fundraiser’s progress, or add a donation, go to: https://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/3452714. You can also find the fundraiser by visiting www.kick-it.org and typing Nathan Behne in the search bar.
