Tikes on Trikes Raise Funds for St. Jude's

Jimena Sallee is a natural at raising funds for a cause. Last year, the Bloomfield Township resident raised $1,226.50 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This year, she raked in about $1,700. Impressive, especially for a 4-year-old.

The tot is a student at in Bloomfield Hills and was a participant in the preschool’s annual St. Jude Trike-a-Thon. The school has been part of the program since 2004.

At the event, helmet-sporting 2- to 5-year-olds gather annually in the building’s gymnasium (the academy is inside ) for a veritable “Tour de Gym,” cycling around a huge course outlined with orange cones.

Parents, grandparents and teachers cheer the little ones on as they round bends and hit straight-aways.

“We have raised over $14,000, since 2004,” said enthusiastic school director and owner Kelly Cook, who has a special-education background and opened the academy 15 years ago.

“The children are so excited as they bring up their bikes, trikes and scooters (with helmet of course) and ride circles around the gym,” said Cook, who lives in Bloomfield Hills.

The children’s supporters make donations based on the number of laps each child completes or can make a single monetary donation.

Sallee’s parents spread the fundraising word earlier this year through friends and family.

“We actually are very private people, and our main reason for sharing Jimena's experience is to encourage other parents to take advantage of this kind of opportunity, to help raise our children with more compassionate hearts,” said Liliana Sallee, Jimena’s mother.

Liliana likes to share the story of how one of Jimena's friend's made her mother drive her to the Sallee’s home to donate 88 cents that she had collected.  “These are the things that make the program so special,” Liliana said.

Jimena receives cash and checks through post office mail and through online donations.

“We’ve even gotten international donations coming from Mexico, Germany, Poland and Switzerland,” Liliana said.

Wheels of fortune spin quietly

Janeen Fakhouri and her 4-year-old daughter, Christianna Fakhouri, of Bloomfield Hills, raised $1,200 this year from donations from a dozen people.

“We love St. Jude,” said Fakhouri. “When we got the notice from the school that they were doing this, we were more than happy to participate and ask people to donate.”

Fakhouri likes the event because it’s somewhat under-the-radar. “The school doesn’t make a big deal out of it. It’s quiet fundraising and heartfelt.”

Fakhouri, who has a 21-month-old who soon will be pedaling in big sister’s bike tracks, says her daughter understands the giving concept.

“Christianna told me, ‘You’re the best mommy; you raised a lot of money.’”

Getting them started

Last year, the Sallee family made a donation jar. “Jimena had fun putting her cash donations in it, as well as the checks after finding them in the mailbox,” said Liliana.

“At first she wasn't very excited about asking people for money, but we explained to her that the money was going to help sick children and that it should help to ease their pain and their parents’ minds,” said Liliana. “Jimena understood that, and then she was excited about the whole thing, saying, ‘The children will feel better.’ ”  

Cook's Academy teacher Kristin Daboul of West Bloomfield is especially excited about the local aspect of the fundraising program.

“I love that we’re even helping people close to home,” Daboul said while watching Trike-a-Thon 2-year-olds Louis Parsons of Bloomfield Hills and Elise Yaldoo of Birmingham whiz by on their wheeled beauties during the May 27 event. “I understand that last year, a lot of money went to helping some kids from this area who needed medical attention.”

“This experience touches our hearts very deeply,” said Liliana. “We never expected to raise the amount of money that we did in such a short period, nor did we expect to have so many people sponsor our daughter. It’s good for kids to learn about people in need.”

Besides the collection jar, Liliana's daughter also started collecting coins in her own piggy bank. Liliana asked her what she wanted to do with that money. “She said it was for the sick children,” said Liliana, “so this year, Jimena made her own personal donation of $33.”

Interested in participating?

The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital website lists other area schools that hold Trike-a-Thons during the year, including Harmony Christian Care & Learning Center, North Hills Child Care Center, Oakland Children’s Academy, Troy Little Scholars and Zion Christian Child Care Center, all in Troy; Goodison Learning Center, Beth’s Imagination Station, White Rose Academy and Kiddie Academy, in the Rochester area; Royal Oak Child Care Center, in Royal Oak; Premier Academy in Oakland Township; Our Shepherd Lutheran School and St James Preschool, Birmingham; and Gateway Country Dayschool, Stamat DayCare Services and Sunny Skies Child Care, in Clawson.

In addition, you can through the St. Jude's website, where creating your own event is made fairly simple. For more information, call 1-800-626-BIKE (2453), or e-mail trike@stjude.org.

To donate to the Cook's Academy fund-raiser, call Kelly Cook at 248-594-5437.

Download the movie