More than 20 county children will be riding in style this holiday season thanks to the Knights of Pythias, North Florida Child Development, Inc. and the Gulf Correctional Institution.
The R. A. Driesbach, Sr. Lodge No. 77 of the Knights of Pythias, based in Port St. Joe, this week donated more than 20 bicycles to the annual Bikes for Boys and Girls of Gulf County campaign sponsored by NFCD and GCI.
The bicycles will be refurbished by inmates at GCI and given away to children of need, who have been identified by Gulf Public Schools and other referrals, by North Florida Child Development on Dec. 18 as part of the City of Wewahitchka’s annual Christmas in the Park celebration.
Using bikes and trikes donated by local residents and funds donated to the campaign, the inmates transform used bikes into gleaming “as-new” vehicles for children who might otherwise not enjoy such a bounty beneath the Christmas tree.
“It’s one of our projects we do every year,” said Clarence Monette, Chancellor Commander of the local Knights of Pythias lodge. “It is one of those things we heard about.
“This helps the kids and it helps the environment because these bikes would be tossed away otherwise.”
The project also adheres to the mission statement of the Knights of Pythias, which aims to “improve the heart, exalt the mind, promote virtue and morality, purity and unity” and teaches “principles of friendship, universal brotherhood, protection, patriotism, loyalty to God, home and country.”
As the holiday season heats up, so too are the Knights’ charitable efforts.
The lodge is currently conducting a raffle for a car GPS navigational system. Each ticket is $1 and the proceeds go to the lodge’s Education Scholarship and Building Fund.
Further, the lodge continues to have on sale a CD of Historical African-American Obituaries from North Port St. Joe and surrounding areas. Each CD is $20 and proceeds also benefit the lodge’s Education Scholarship and Building Fund.
Anyone interested in a CD or raffle ticket is encouraged to contact Monette at 899-1479.
Monette added that the lodge will continue to collect bicycles for the next two weeks. Anyone wishing to donate a bike or trike is encouraged to drop them off at Monette’s residence, 313 Avenue B in Port St. Joe.
The Bikes for Boys and Girls of Gulf County fundraiser has a goal of providing refurbished bikes to at least 75 children this year.
If an individual or organization would like to participate, please donate either new or used bikes to your nearest fire station, make donations to North Florida Child Development, Inc, made payable to NFCD, Inc. or purchase raffle tickets for the drawing of a life-size playhouse, which will be given away on Dec. 18.
NFCD will raffle the playhouse constructed by GCI inmate labor, with all proceeds going to the cost of refurbishing bikes and the purchase of tricycles.
The drawing will take place underneath the pavilion at Lake Alice Park after the Christmas parade that begins at 5 p.m. CT.
Once the drawing is held, the winner will be held responsible for moving the playhouse. The winner does not have to be present during the drawing.
Distribution for the bikes will be held onsite and is in conjunction with the City of Wewahitchka, host of the annual evening Christmas Parade and a GFWC Wewahitchka Woman’s Club Inc.’s Lights in the Park.
If your organization would like to participate or obtain a copy of the tax deductible donation form you may contact the organization’s parent volunteer, Jade Hatcher at (850) 532-8181 or [email protected] or Rochelle Priest at (850) 639- 5080, ext. 19 [email protected]