Marquette Bank Hosts EP's Christmas Without Cancer Bike Contest

Marquette Bank will host Christmas Without Cancer’s annual bike contest in its Evergreen Park and Mount Greenwood locations.

“We are thrilled to have community leader Marquette Bank keep our annual ‘give back’ gesture in place during a year in which business owners are in flux about regulations,” said Gerri Neylon, president and founder of Christmas Without Cancer.

“Kids under 14 can guess the number of jelly beans and choose to open a savings account,” said Neylon. “Marquette Bank will even match up to $25 the opening deposit. Everyone wins.”

The bike winners - one girl and one boy - will be fitted for a bike at Beverly Bike and Ski on Western Avenue in Chicago after all the guesses are in. The value of the displayed bike will be put toward the winner’s choice of a bike.

Over the years, opening-day guesses to win the annual Christmas bike contest ranged in number from 10 to a million. Parents and older siblings have been helpful in guessing for toddlers and younger grade school children.

One thing is certain: one boy and one girl will guess close enough to win. Guesses can only be entered at Marquette Bank located 3435 West 111th Street, Chicago; and Marquette Bank located at 9335 South Kedzie, Evergreen Park.

The two winning guesses will be announced in January at Beverly Bike and Ski, 9121 South Western Avenue, Chicago.

Marquette Bank and Beverly Bike and Ski join long-time sponsors Christmas Without Cancer, Evergreen Park United Homeowners Association and Figel Public Relations in this annual contest that has drawn thousands of participants.

One year, a seventh-grade girl asked if her younger brother could pick out a boy’s bike because she “didn’t need a new one.” In a moment that captured the spirit of Christmas and our communities, she smiled as her brother peddled a sparkling new bike right out the door and down the sidewalk.

Christmas Without Cancer, an organization started by Neylon in 2003, comes to the rescue of those impacted by cancer so the family can focus on Christmas. The Evergreen Park volunteer group identifies needs and helps with utility bills and mortgage payments, gas, parking and wrap and deliver gifts for children.

“The bike contest is our way of saying thanks to the surrounding communities because they are so generous in helping local families,” said Neylon.

“Our mission includes assessing need and responding, but we can’t do that if we don’t have the resources that come directly from the generosity of people in this great South Side of Chicago and South suburban areas.”

Neylon reasons Christmas Without Cancer has been a success because “people know their donations are helping people locally, right now so the family can focus on the spirit in Christmas.”

For more information, visit the www.ChristmasWithoutCancer.org site.