Girls hold ‘bike marathon’ as fundraiser for wildlife centre

Organizers of the third annual event are just 10 years old.

(From left) Meagan Newberg, Hailey Perk, Ella Duncan, Grace Thurmer, Ireland Forsberg and Ashley Hoffman held a fundraiser for Elizabeth’s Wildlife Center.

(From left) Meagan Newberg, Hailey Perk, Ella Duncan, Grace Thurmer, Ireland Forsberg and Ashley Hoffman held a fundraiser for Elizabeth’s Wildlife Center.

Six girls who live on Pearl Avenue in Abbotsford held their third annual “bike marathon” on Wednesday, Aug. 14 to raise funds for local charity.

The girls made Elizabeth’s Wildlife Center their focus this year and raised almost $250.

The event included a bike marathon in which participants rode up and down the street – under parental supervision – doing as many laps as they could for 2.5 hours.

The girls also sold cookies and cupcakes they had baked themselves and set up a lemonade stand and facepainting station.

They promoted the event by posting handmade signs around the neighbourhood.

“All us moms had to do was supervise, take them to the store for various supplies, say yes to the date and put it all on Facebook,” said Tanya Perk, mom of 10-year-old Hailey, one of the event’s organizers.

The other organizers were Ella Duncan and Grace Thurmer – also age 10 – and they were assisted by Meagan Newberg, Ireland Forsberg and Ashley Hoffman.

In the group’s first year of fundraising, they collected enough money to buy two hens and a rooster for a family in Africa.

Last year, they raised funds for Cyrus Centre drop-in centre for at-risk youth.

Abbotsford News