Lilit Baron
NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- Christopher Haklar pedaled around the course on
his tricycle while his parents and sister cheered him on. His helmet,
though, was not his own.
The sturdy pink plastic shell belongs to his sister, Victoria.
Christopher, 5, wore it anyway, because he couldn't ride during Glendale
Adventist Children's Center's bicycle safety event if he didn't.
The center's Wheel-a-Thon, held in the center parking lot Thursday
afternoon, capped Bicycle Safety Week. Children 10 months old to 5 years
pedaled around the parking lot, hoping to raise enough money for their 12
teachers to attend the National Educational Conference for Young Children
in November in Anaheim.
Each child who participated signed up sponsors and collected donations
to cycle for an hour on two separate courses, one for toddlers and the
other for children 3 to 5 years old. One-year-olds rode in a school buggy
and were pushed by their teachers.
"It's his first group race," said Terri Haklar, Christopher's mom and
a GI lab nurse at Glendale Adventist Medical Center. "He's learning about
safety, competition and friendship."
According to Jocelyn Feleo, the center's site supervisor, 90% of the
children in the program have parents employed by the hospital. The
center, however, is open to the community.
The Children's Center offers an early childhood program accredited by
the National Assn. for the Education of Young Children. The teachers work
in five classrooms where they teach the children basic concepts.
"The conference will give the teachers more ideas for early childhood
development. It will freshen their memories and give them more
opportunities to be creative in the classroom," Feleo said.
As a reward for their hard work on a hot and sunny afternoon, the
young cyclers were given T-shirts, medals and Popsicles.
The deadline for sponsor donations is June 22.
