Lake Orion, Oxford cross country teams to raise funds for 42 Strong Foundation
By Jim Newell
Managing Editor
OAKLAND COUNTY — The Lake Orion-Oxford football game is always an intense gridiron rivalry, with the winner claiming the Double-O Trophy and bragging rights for a year.
But what happens off the field when the Lake Orion and Oxford communities team up is far more important.
Before the Lake Orion-Oxford football game on Friday, the Lake Orion and Oxford cross country runners will come together to support 42 Strong – The Tate Myre Foundation by running a football from Lake Orion to Oxford. The foundation was started in memory of the late Tate Myre, who played football at Oxford High School and wore number 42.
The Lake Orion runners will leave Lake Orion High School around 4 p.m. with the game ball, head down Lapeer Road and meet the Oxford runners halfway to hand off the ball. Oxford runners will then deliver the football to Oxford High School, said Lake Orion boys varsity cross country coach Andrew McDonald.
“I worked at Oxford for 22 years. Tate Myre, he was one of my former students. I know the family really well, and I thought it would be really cool to raise money for 42 Strong.”
McDonald hopes members of both communities will join in a spirit of camaraderie to support the event. And if anyone wants to stand along the route down M-24, wave signs and cheer the runners, he said he’d love that, too.
“Everything (that we raise) is going to the mentor program that 42 Strong is. I think it’s a good opportunity for our community,’” McDonald said.

McDonald and Oxford girls varsity cross country coach Sara Canham came up with the idea to run the game ball from one school to the other as a fundraiser.
“It’s a great organization that we’re out supporting, and unity with the Lake Orion team,” Canham said. “I think the runners think it’s a fun way to get pumped up for a rival football game.”
“One of the main reasons that we do the 42 Strong relay with the Oxford cross country team is to bring our two communities together to recognize that all students need a mentor in life. I’ve had a couple of runners on my team that have been a part of 42 Strong mentorship program, or sometimes they’ve been a mentee, and it was really special last year running with the Oxford team.”
The 42 Strong Tate Myre Foundation is a peer-to-peer mentorship program for youth in their communities. The foundation, which launched in May 2022, is dedicated to creating a better future by helping students develop a greater sense of purpose, community and resilience, according to information from 42 Strong website.
For more information on 42 Strong, visit www.42StrongTate.org.