By Monica Drake
Review Intern
Most non-profit organizations hold marathons to raise money for their specific cause. But St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital came up with a new way to raise money for their foundation.
St. Jude holds Trike-a-Thons for day care centers and preschools nationwide. This gives children ages 2-5 the chance to help a cause that benefits kids just like themselves, but who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Lake Orion Early Childhood participated in the St. Jude Trike-a-Thon program during the week of May 28, as they have for about ten years. They raised $359 this year, for a total of $6,000 since they began. Children in preschool and toddler classes participated in this week-long program.
St. Jude combined safety lessons with the money-raising aspect of the program. Kids were taught safety lessons such as wearing a helmet and how to brake.
They learned these lessons through interactive stories with St. Jude’s original characters Bikewell Bear and Pedals the Bunny.
Pre-school teachers and daycare operators received a storybook, coloring sheets, posters and a Trike-a-Thon DVD to help carry out the event. These materials were free of cost, thanks to St. Jude Hospital.
At the end of the week, the kids brought their tricycles and other riding toys with them to daycare.
Pre-school teacher April Gall was coordinator for this event for her seventh year. She said that each child was given an hour to ride his or her tricycle, and then their laps were totalled up.
‘A couple of kids were determined to go as long as they could; they kept going and going. We finally had to stop them,? Gall said.
Members of the Lake Orion community sponsored the contestants by either pledging a certain amount per lap for a child, or by donating a set sum.
‘I’m always touched and amazed by the way families get involved and how generous their contributions are,? Gall said.
She said in prior years, some parents? employers even matched the donations dollar for dollar.
The Trike-a-Thon not only helped kids learn indispensable lessons, but at the same time, helped less fortunate children who are currently battling cancer.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is based in Memphis, Tennessee and has helped 179 children from Michigan, including Oakland County.
Children are not only treated at St. Jude, but research is also conducted there.
Families who submit their child never have to pay for treatments not covered by their insurance.
And if the family has no insurance, they are still never asked to pay. This is why donations are crucial to the running of St. Jude.
Anyone can sign-up his or her child’s school or daycare to participate in a Trike-a-Thon. Go to www.mytrikeaton.org to sign-up or call 1-800-626-BIKE for more information.