Variety, the Children’s Charity of Colorado, will donate 130 bikes to kids at Eagleton Elementary School
On Saturday, April 27th, just in time for the warm weather, Variety of Colorado will donate 130 bicycles to students at Eagleton Elementary School. Each student in the 3rd and 4th grade will receive a brand new Schwinn bicycle, helmet, bike lock, tee shirt, and a personalized license plate.
Since its inception six years ago, Variety of Colorado has donated more than 600 bikes to Denver-area schools. Eagleton Elementary, this year’s winner, was chosen after submitting a plan explaining how they’d incorporate bikes into their school community. Their plan includes adding bike racks and a tire station, as well as having student council sell water bottles to pay it forward to next year’s recipients. All students were also required to write an essay on one of three topics: “I am Unique because…”, “I Keep Healthy By…”, or “I Can Show Respect By…”
Lee Rains Thomas, Assistant Principal at Eagleton Elementary is thankful for the opportunity and believes, “…Variety is an amazing organization that pulls community resources together to provide an incredible opportunity for under-privileged children. We are very honored to have been selected to receive the bikes.”
Students have been invited to pick up their bikes on Saturday, April 27 between the hours of 1:00pm– 3:00pm. They will receive their equipment, have their bikes and helmets fitted as well as participate in bike safety training.
Families and community members can also enjoy a “Community Showcase,” hosted by Eagleton Elementary School during that time. The showcase will highlight organizations that are committed to promoting health and education in the community. Groups in attendance will include: SNAP into Health, Comcast’s low-cost internet and computer program, Trips for Kids and local rec and library summer programs. For the fourth year in a row, DJ services will be donated by Steve Robertson.
Almost one-hundred volunteers will give their time to help assemble and prep bicycles for distribution as well as ensure the entire day is a success. ViaSat Communications is providing almost two dozen volunteers and making a donation. As the corporate support of this program for the second year, ViaSat Communications has enabled Variety of Colorado to improve the quality of the bikes given to the students along with Schwinn and Campus Cycles, who provided the bicycles at cost. Comcast is also supplying sixty volunteers via its national day of service, Comcast Cares Day. They are also furnishing the bike locks, volunteer food and making a donation to Variety on behalf of their employee volunteers.
Executive Director of Variety, Anne Tengler explains the importance of the event, “Kids on the Go is about giving these children the experience of philanthropy. So many members of the community have come together make this day possible. We want the kids to know they always have enough to give back.”
Variety of Colorado was established in 1951 by a group of motion picture exhibitors. Today, VOC continues the important mission established by those pioneers: providing children, including those with disabilities, the resources to overcome their challenges, helping them reach their potential to live full, active lives. Over the years, Variety of Colorado fundraisers have raised more than $2 million for Colorado’s children. Variety of Colorado is proud of its 60-year history of serving Children in the Rocky Mountain region.
Visit http://www.varietycolorado.org for more information.
