Early Christmas Present For Deserving Children
430 deserving New Zealand children have been gifted brand new bikes and helmets as part of Variety – The Children’s Charity’s annual Bikes for Kids tour with international musician Jack Johnson on hand to present bikes at the latest presentation in Christchurch.
A total of 430 children aged between seven and nine from around New Zealand received bikes as part of the charity’s 21st anniversary celebrations.
“We received heart-warming nominations of children who are seen by their peers as a role model or have made a difference within their school or community environments demonstrating an outstanding ability to assist those around them,” said Lorraine Taylor, CEO of Variety, which has distributed over $12 million to sick, disabled and disadvantaged Kiwi kids since its inception in 1989.
“Others have overcome adverse circumstances and in some situations, the families simply are not in a position to purchase a bike,” she continued.
Wrote one mother: “I’m nominating my daughter because she is more than happy to be environmentally friendly and ride to school instead of being dropped off in the car. She got a bike for Christmas two years ago, but her older cousin broke it. I’m on my own and don’t have the funds to get her a new one. I am proud of my daughter as she helps out every way she can possible to keep people happy, she’s caring and sharing and an awesome little conservationist.
Another couple wrote: “We see our son as an ultimate role model to his sister, who has a severe speech delay. He could be having all the fun in the world and if she needs him, he will drop whatever it is he is doing to attend to her needs.”
A grandparent spoke of the heartache of not being able to buy a bike for their grandson “Since the passing of his grandfather last year, he has been my little helper, always doing things for me and never complaining. He knows we can’t afford to get him a bike because money is so hard to come by. If I could afford to buy a bike for him, I would tomorrow, but things are so hard.”
Teachers, principals and other members of the school community also nominated children: “He has asthma and often misses school. He’s an extremely likeable student to his peers and staff. He’s a happy student despite his illness who works extremely hard to ‘catch up’ on work he’s missed,” said one principal
“She is an outstanding child. In 40 years of teaching I have never encountered a pupil of such a giving and caring disposition. Her continued kind deeds deserve recognition,” said another principal.
Supported by The Warehouse, Avanti, McDonald’s, Toll and the TR Group, the main Bikes for Kids tour from 7-13 November involves Variety volunteers travelling throughout the country presenting bikes, along with local celebrities, to children in Waitakere, North Shore, Helensville, Orewa, Warkworth, Dargaville, Whangarei, the Far North and Dunedin. The tour then make a special trip to Christchurch on November 30th.
“For many of these children it is their first bike. The recognition not only benefits the child concerned, but provides an incentive for their peers to follow in their footsteps and become good school and community citizens,” says Ms Taylor.
“Bikes for Kids”, now in its eleventh year, forms a special part of Variety’s mobility programme, providing life enriching assistance to children with physical restrictions.