A Surprise Bike Building Event Comes to Colton

Santa Claus came early this year and he brought the Helpful Honda Guys in Blue with him as they made a stop in Colton at the VFW this past Tuesday, Dec. 15, for a “random act of helpfulness”. With the instrumental help of the SoCal Honda Dealers Guys in Blue, Seeds of Hope Outreach, and community member Tracylyn Sharrit, 27 children within the Colton area were surprised with their very own bicycle. Although the bikes received all the spotlight, everyone was also treated with a pizza party, arts and crafts, and a special visit from Santa Claus. Along with the bike, each child received a lock, a customized “Helpful” license plate, and their choice of helmet. A few Colton Police Officers attended the event to participate in the event and provide brief instructions and lessons about bike helmets and safety. According to SoCal Honda’s Lauren Kay, Seeds of Hope was responsible for gathering a group of children that were very deserving of receiving their own bike. Gloria Gaona, Seeds of Hope Executive Director who played a strong role in making this event possible, explained that most of the children have never owned a bike before; therefore this event was especially significant to them. In fact, some of the kids were unaware that the bike they were building was theirs to keep. “Those that don’t know that they are getting a bike today were just told to come here for a pizza party, make some arts and crafts and to help with a project,” SoCal Honda’s Tracy Gulermo said. Little did they know that the entire event was for them. San Bernardino resident and community advocate Tracylyn Sharrit was also an instrumental force behind the event. In fact, she was the one that initially came up with the idea for kids to help build their own bikes. “It went so well the first year that they have been doing it ever since,” she explained. “I just feel so fortunate to have this ongoing relationship. I get to know people like Gloria.. she’s involved with so much she deserves to have this program.” Sharrit mentioned that this event is extremely special because the kids don’t only get a new bike but they get to learn while building it. “This is just one of the neatest events because it has so many different arms to it than one may think,” she explained. “They get to learn about their bike and be a part of the building process which makes it a little more special knowing you did it yourself.” One the many well-deserving children to receive a bike was ten-year-old Wilson Elementary School student Breanna Maturino. Her mother Marlene said while watching her build her new bike, “She was so excited when she found out.. it’s definitely an upgrade.”