Youngsters raise money for St. Jude

The Dyer Brook Head Start/pre-K held its 11th annual Trike-a-thon for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the Oakfield Community Center last Thursday.
The Trike-a-thon started as a community project for Head Start. To date, the program has raised $6,625 for St. Jude. All children are treated for free at St. Jude’s at an operating expense of $1.9 million per day.    Organizing the event was Linda Slauenwhite, family service worker; Gabrielle Potvin (Ms. Gubbi) and Bernadette Boulier (Ms. Bernie), teachers; along with Nicole Lyons (Ms. Nicki) and Ralph Vetter (Mr. Vetter), ed techs.
The Dyer Brook Head Start/pre-K group has 27 children ages 3-5 in the program this year.
“Children have a good time at the event,” said Slauenwhite. “It is always very well attended by family and community members.”
During the Trike-a-thon, a number of signs are placed for the children to follow. For example, children practice stopping at a moose crossing in the roadway, looking right and left at a railroad crossing, obeying posted speed limits, especially around corners, and recognizing different signs and their meanings.
Children are encouraged to wear helmets and other protective gear.
Children are awarded participation prizes and receive stickers, coloring books and a “driver’s license.”
“This project could not happen without the generous support of the families and community,” Slauenwhite said. “We deeply appreciate all of the support.”
Transporting the children to the Feb. 13 event were Joanne Cushing, bus driver; and Debbie Goodall, bus monitor/teacher’s aide. The center is supervised by Kathleen Manning and Southern Aroostook Elementary Principal Margaret White.
The Dyer Brook Head Start/pre-K is currently collecting non-perishable food items to donate to Southern Aroostook’s food pantry, as a way to give back to the local community.