Thanks to the generosity of local residents and several clubs and agencies, some local children have received new bikes for Christmas. Bikes for Brains held its 15th annual bike give-away Monday at the King Center in Rock Island, and gave away 125 bicycles.
One of the co-chairs, Sandy Seeley-Copley, says it all started when a client of hers at the Queens Parlour
salon suggested a good way to help deserving children at Christmas was to help them get new bikes.
"She said Doctor Spock says if children just have a set of blocks and bicycles, they're set for life. With the blocks they learn their numbers and they learn the alphabet. With a bike, they learn trust, balance, they get exercise, they feel very independent, and they have ownership."
That was in 2001.
In addition to new bikes, each child received a helmet and watched a puppet show stressing the importance of wearing a helmet and preventing brain injuries.
Principle sponsors of the event each year are Queens Parlour, Bike 'n Hike, and the Rock Island County Regional Office of Education. Members of the Pilot Club of Moline put on the puppet shows each year.
