UPDATE The Trike-A-Thon has been rescheduled for Thursday, October 9 due to inclement weather.

By Marissa Hollon

Fall is in the air in Ada, meaning four things are certain: the summer heat is leaving, the golden, rusty leaves are falling, pumpkin spice is back on the menu, and the Trike-A-Thon is near! 

The Ohio Northern University Honors Program is gearing up for its annual Trike-A-Thon event on October 9, partnering with the Early Childhood Development Center to put together a unique, student-led and exciting obstacle course for preschoolers that raises money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

The Trike-A-Thon is a special project given to freshman students enrolled in the Honors Program as a unique way to bond, collaborate, and give back to their new community. Director of the Honors Program at Ohio Northern University Jennifer Moore, Ph.D, welcomes these young scholars by giving them the creative liberty to theme and design the obstacle course and activities for the preschoolers, as well as the tasks to organize the logistics, develop the event, and encourage the community to donate. As Dr. Moore puts it, “The Trike-A-Thon is a wonderful experience that engages students to work together towards a goal that is bigger than themselves. The kids love it, the students always have a blast, and there’s nothing more rewarding than spreading joy and hope.” 

Watching the excitement on all the faces of the preschoolers as they go through the obstacle course is a rewarding experience in itself, but there’s nothing quite like using resources to help out those in need. The annual Trike-A-Thon aims to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital to help fund cancer research and ensure no family ever receives a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. Anyone able is encouraged to donate to this cause, which can be found by going to https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Trike/Trike?pg=entry&fr_id=162140

Please consider donating to help the Honors Program reach their donation goal, any and all contributions are greatly appreciated and go towards a great cause.