Amid athletic practice, home work and extracurricular activities, members of the Pleasant Valley High School girls cross country team donated $1,100 in honor of their classmate and friend, Jayne Lee Andreesen. Miss Andreesen passed away four years ago after an extensive and courageous battle with cancer.

“It is neat Jayne’s friends found a way to honor her memory during this very special time,” said Nancy Andreesen, Jayne’s mother. “She would have been graduating from PV this year.”

Every summer the Pleasant Valley cross country team hosts a summer training camp and a fee is collected to participate. Jane Wheeler, head PV girls cross country coach, has allowed the senior members of her team to decide where to donate the camp fees for the past two years. 

“I was especially touched this year with the girls’ decision to honor their classmate,” said Coach Wheeler. “The girls had such a personal connection to Jayne. They knew she liked to run from her participation in the BIX 7 and other special event races around the Quad Cities.”

In remembrance of their daughter, the Andreesen’s created the Jayne Lee Andreesen Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend. This permanent scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating senior at Pleasant Valley High School. A total of $3,000 has been distributed to three students since 2007.

“We are hoping that with the money the cross country girls’ team donated we will be able to offer two scholarships this year,” said Mrs. Andreesen.

Jayne was born April 27, 1992, to Jeff and Nancy (Byrne) Andreesen of Bettendorf. She was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Bettendorf, and attended Pleasant Valley Junior High School, where she was a high honor student. She played violin in the Pleasant Valley school orchestra, clarinet in the band, and sang in the choir. She was active in her church youth group and a member of the confirmation class. Jayne was a member of Gilda’s Club, an honorary survivor for the first annual Daffodil Gala, and for the 2005 American Cancer Society Relay For Life at Bettendorf High School. She was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan and loved animals.