Every year for approximately the past 12 years FHN National Honors Society have been working with Variety charity to help build bikes for children in need.

This Dec. 6, NHS plans to continue the tradition by heading up to Webster University and building more bikes.

“I wish more kids could get a bike, I wish we could do more,” the NHS sponsor, Donna Malkmus said.

Corporations such as Boeing and Monsanto make donations to Variety, a US charity for children, and then children are chosen to come pick up their bikes the same day they’re built. Who gets chosen to be a part of the program is entirely up to Variety and is often based off of what schools get Federal subsidies. Many of the kids who participate have never had a bike before.

“I think its really a great and generous thing that the corporations are doing,” NHS member Tessa Smith said. “And I think that it wouldn’t be possible without them.”

NHS will be going to school at 7 a.m. to carpool to the University, and will hopefully get there by 8 a.m. The students were asked to bring tools of their own to put the bikes together with. Two students work on building the bikes and when finished they send them to get inspected by other students. If the bikes pass inspection they are given to students who put name tags and bows on them. The name tags have the names of the kids receiving the bike on them and once its all done the kids get to come in and check out their new bikes.

“It’s just like an early Christmas present for them,” Malkmus said.

NHS’ bikes kids seems to be a well liked event that will last for years to come. Many members are positive about this event and it’s future.

“Everybody should donate time or money or both to improve the lives of others because if you we in that situation you would want people to do that for you and because it’s just a good thing to do that brings community together,” Smith said.