NIHHC hosts holiday bicycle giveaway in Elkhart
Dec. 21—ELKHART — Forty-four preschoolers, ages 3-6, received new bikes, delivered from Santa with the help of the Northern Indiana Hispanic Health Coalition Wednesday.
NIHHC organized the holiday bike giveaway as a raffle of the 44 bikes, a news release stated. Families entered their child in the raffle through Facebook.
More that 120 children were registered within two days. Winners were drawn at random, live on Facebook on Tuesday.
The new bikes were distributed Wednesday at the Matterhorn Conference Center in Elkhart, which provided space for the event. Children and families had the opportunity to take pictures with Santa, have some snacks, and participate in a craft activity.
Some families came from as far as Kosciusko County.
"We are just grateful to be able to bring a little light this Christmas to some children, who would otherwise not have the chance to ride a bike or see Santa — for the majority of the children, this was their first bike, so a bigger blessing," said Liliana Quintero, NIHHC Executive Director. "Most importantly, the bikes help them stay active and build healthy habits."
The giveaway was made possible thanks to the collaborative initiative of NIHHC, Crossroads United Way serving Elkhart, LaGrange, & Noble Counties, and Cummins Inc, whose team members built the bikes, the release added. All bikes came with a helmet, lock, and inspirational note.
Many children took their first ride on a bike around the parking lot.
"Thank you for being a blessing to the children this Christmas," said one parent. "I love to see them smiling and so happy!" Another parent said, "It was a great event! The NIHHC always helps low-income families. Thank you, God bless you!"
Eduar, a 13-year-old boy who registered his 3-year-old sister for the raffle, said that she really wanted a bike, but her parents could not afford one right now. Eduar has followed NIHHC's Facebook page for a while — ever since he and his family received free vaccinations.
"When he saw the bike raffle post, he knew it was the opportunity to light Christmas for his little sister," the release stated.
When asked if he had a bike, Eduar said he did not.
"God bless this big brother advocating for the happiness of his sister over his own!" said Quintero. "He gave us a task last night — now we are looking for a bike for him! Any volunteers?"
Quintero pointed out that Día de Reyes, or Three Kings' Day, is celebrated Jan. 6 in many Latin American cultures, to commemorate when the three wise men first visited baby Jesus and brought him gifts.
"This is traditionally the day when many Hispanic children receive gifts," she said. "How beautiful would it be if Eduar received a bike on this day to enjoy riding with his sister?"
The Northern Indiana Hispanic Health Coalition's mission is to improve the health and wellness of underserved communities by providing preventative health screenings, education, and advocacy with a primary focus on Hispanics.
For more information on NIHHC's activities and programs, call them at 574-522-0966 or toll free at 1-877-21-SALUD, or visit www.nihhc.com. For questions regarding health issues, call NIHHC's bilingual health hotline at 574-206-3938.
