A Child’s Dream Come True

A child’s first new bicycle is a conventional rite of passage for most U.S. children. But in Barbour County, West Virginia, the gift of a new bicycle is a cherished treasure.

So when three dozen Barbour County children gathered last summer for a day of fun, the spirit of anticipation was rife. These elementary-aged students had just successfully completed a year in KidREACH, a World Vision-sponsored academic mentoring program that nurtures children struggling in school.

To reward the children’s successes, World Vision hosted a “Bike-O-Rama” celebration—a morning of games and laughter that culminated in the distribution of new bikes. As the time to claim their bikes drew near, even the fun could not fully distract students from the long line of sparkling red, blue, yellow, and green bikes that winked in the sunshine.

 

Going for the Prize 
Shawn, Matthew, and Nick Lipps were three of the 36 students who would ride away on a new mode of transportation that morning. To expedite the process, the brothers split up to cover more ground  as they cast a critical eye on their prize.  

“This one looks good, Nick!” shouted Shawn, as an eager Nick sprinted to the far corner of the fairground pavilion.

“I found a better one over there,” reported Nick.

The bicycles were donated by World Vision’s generous corporate partners, who last year provided basic goods to more than 580,000 individuals nationwide—more than half of them children.

Soon the pent-up energy exploded as World Vision staff set the children lose to choose their rewards. Nick Lipps quickly selected the red bike with the cool banana seat, hopped on, and with a grin as bright as the West Virginia sun, started to peddle into a future filled with promise.