The Child Development Center hosted its annual St. Jude Trike-A-Thon last Friday, lending a helping hand to children battling cancer at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Children from the ages of 6 months to 5 years and their families had the opportunity to give generous donations and decorate their tricycles for the marathon around the center.

There were various decorated rides for this event. This year’s theme was Mardi Gras. Trikes with Mardi Gras beads, scooters with streaming ribbons, a tractor with masks, bikes with ornaments and strollers with shimmering garland raced around the block.

Parents and teacher spectators caught beads and cheered the children on from the sidewalks. Ace the Warhawk came to support and put smiles on the children’s faces.

Four-year-old Margaret Garvey raced around the corner knowing that she was helping save the life of another child. When asked what the event was for, Margaret replied, “to help little kids at St. Jude’s Hospital to get better because they are really, really sick and they have canvas (cancer).”

Liam Keels, also four years old, smiled with excitement as he breezed past the others and tossed beads.

When asked why he wanted to help St. Jude, he said, “so Aaron can get better.”

Lori Watson, a teacher at the center, explained that in her class the students watched a story about a child named Aaron. He had a fall which sent him to the hospital where the doctors discovered he had a tumor.