DE PERE, Wis. (WFRV) – On Saturday morning, dozens of community members gathered at De Pere High School for the fourth annual Redbird Ribbon Walk, an event born out of loss and built on hope.
The walk was started in 2022 by Dan Van Straten in memory of his wife, Jayma, a beloved teacher in the De Pere School District who passed away from brain cancer that summer.
Longtime Brown County public servant Tom Hinz dies at 83
Since then, the event has raised more than $20,000 to benefit the school’s Sting Cancer Club, a student-led group that helps local families impacted by cancer.
“I’ve served on the school board here for 12 years. I’m the public address announcer here for most of the athletics, and my wife worked in the district for 19 years,” said Van Straten. “She was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2018, and she passed away in the summer of 2022.”
Van Straten says the fundraiser helps students continue Jayma’s legacy of service.
“The idea was to raise funds for the De Pere High School Sting Cancer Club. They do so much great work in the community, giving back to other families with gas cards, food cards, and making things for the hospital,” he said.
This year’s walk carried extra meaning, following the recent loss of students in the district, including Hadley Baker, whose family remains an active part of the school community.
“I think it honestly brings our community together, this year more than anything,” said Keira Washington, the Sting Cancer Club president. “We lost Hadley Baker this year, and that truly showed we all come together, and we can do it. This is very important. It keeps us united.”
Washington, who helped organize the event, said the morning began with a tribute to Jayma, followed by a survivor-led walk, games, food trucks, bake sales, and raffles.
Even Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson stopped by to lend his support. Watson, whose mother battled thyroid cancer, said the cause is close to his heart.
“A couple of students here came up to me and gave me the rundown of the event,” Watson said. “This is a big cause for me — you know, my ‘My Cause My Cleats’ for the past couple of years has been supporting cancer awareness.”
‘Community Spirit’: Appleton PD and FD hit the ice for charity
For Van Straten, the walk is about more than fundraising — it’s about community resilience.
“We’ve lost so many members of the community to cancer this past year, and unfortunately, we’ve had several kids under the age of 12 that have passed away as well,” he said. “So we need to come together as a community and keep coming back and keep giving back.”
Bracelets handed out at the event carried a simple message: “One day at a time.” And as Van Straten says, hope is the one thing that can never be taken away.
