Youngsters spin laps for a good cause
<p>Austin Stephens, 5, of Kalispell exits the track of the Trike-a-thon for St. Jude's Children's Hospital on Wednesday morning, May 16, at the Kidz in Motion Childcare center in Lakeside. This annual event has been going on for more than ten years said Cathy Nash. They hope to raise between twelve hundred and two thousand dollars this year.</p>
<p>From left, Gatlin Merklinger and Travis Fahrney, both 3, from Lakeside, make their way around the track at the Trike-a-thon for St. Jude's Children's Hospital on Wednesday morning, May 16, at Kidz in Motion Childcare center.</p>
<p>Cathy Nash and Cameron Buxton, 3, make their way around the track at the Trike-a-thon for St. Jude's Children's Hospital on Wednesday morning, May 16, at Kidz in Motion Childcare center.</p>
The tricycles, bicycles and scooters were out Wednesday morning at Lakeside’s Kidz in Motion Childcare and Activity Center.
A circular bike path was cordoned off for the dozen children participating in the St. Jude Trike-A-Thon. The annual event — relying on pledges for the tricycle riders’ efforts — raises money for the St. Jude Children’s Research Center.
Cathy Nash, director of Kidz in Motion and Rainbow Preschool, said the event is a great physical activity where children are taught about riding safety. At the same time, Nash said they talk to children about helping others through a fundraising activity.
Kidz in Motion has participated in the Trike-A-Thon since 2000 and has since raised $7,542.
Parents and grandparents cheered on the children and counted laps. For many of the children, such as 3-year-old Rider Page of Lakeside, this was the first experience participating in a fundraiser.
Wearing a black helmet and sporting a tricycle in the style of a Vespa scooter, Rider earned pledges for each lap and, as a special treat, a piece of licorice for every two.
“I think it’s a great learning opportunity,” his mother, Laura, said as she counted a lap for her son.
This was also the first time for 5-year-old Austin Stephens of Kalispell. Decked out in a helmet, kneepads, elbow pads and cycling gloves, Austin was unstoppable.
After one hour, his mother, Jennifer, added up the rows of hash marks for a total of 102 laps with one more hour to go.
“Keep going, you’re doing good ... raising money for sick kids,” Jennifer yelled out to motivate the children.
Austin stopped for a moment to answer some questions about how the Trike-A-Thon was going. The event was important to Austin, not only because it was fun, but also after experiencing the hospitalization of his older sister who spent three months in hospitals after diagnosed with a disease that left her paralyzed from the neck down for a short time.
“He got to learn about sick kids and the recovery process,” his mother said, noting that he also wanted to follow the example of his 7-year-old brother who participated in the Trike-A-Thon at Kidz in Motion when he was 5.
In less than a minute, Austin lifted his foot, placing it back on the bicycle pedals, asking: “Can I go now, I’m in the middle of a race.” Then he pedaled back into the line of tricycles.
To make a donation, visit www.mytrikeathon.org and search for “Rainbow Preschool.”
Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.