For the fourth year in a row, Shawnee’s Faith Christian Outreach is working to make Christmas just a little happier for local children.

Children’s Pastor Destry Newman said the church’s Bikes for Kids program was created with the hope of making a child’s Christmas special. What started with that simple idea has grown over the years and now impacts children all over Pottawatomie County, thanks to donations and a support team of volunteers.

In 2006, Newman said FCO was able to give away 166 bicycles. In 2007, that number grew to 272 and in 2008, 414 children received new bikes.

“This year I expect to give away over 500,” he said.

The best part of the Bikes for Kids program is that children from all over the area can benefit. Bike recipients do not have to come from one church or attend a specific school or live in one particular neighborhood. FCO asks for help in finding local children and families in need.

At the beginning of November, more than 4,500 nomination forms were sent to local schools, including Wilson, Jefferson, Horace Mann, Sequoyah, Will Rogers, Grove, North Rock Creek, Pleasant Grove, South Rock Creek, Barnard, Krouch, Cross Timbers, Earlsboro, McLoud, Bethel and Macomb. Parents, guardians and teachers were asked to nominate students in Pre-K through fifth grade.

“Those nominating students are asked to explain in detail why the child needs a bike and what specifically contributes to their situation,” Newman said.

Two teachers participated in the nomination process last year. Newman said he had hoped for more of a response because teachers spend several hours with their students each day and can usually tell when a child’s family is struggling for one reason or another.

Volunteers review the returned forms to make sure the requests are legitimate. Then, bicycles are purchased with donations that have been collected. Volunteers as young as 10 are part of the selection process. Newman said children really enjoy helping to pick out different styles and kinds of bikes.

As an adult, Newman said he tries to put himself in the child’s position to decide what he or she would want. He added that some families take time together to go to a store to purchase a bike. Newman said this step is meaningful for families and gives children a sense of ownership in the program. Other families set aside the evening before and the day of the distribution to volunteer their time together.

Newman acknowledged that many of the children who receive bikes through FCO’s Bikes for Kids are being raised by a grandparent or someone other than their parents.

“Family members in this situation are many times under a great deal of financial and emotional stress, so they are very thankful for the gift of a bike,” he said.

In the short time Bikes for Kids has been in existence, local school organizations and business have jumped in to help. Volunteers send acceptance letters, load, unload, label, organize the bikes at the distribution site and make cookies for the big day. Over 150 volunteers make the event the success it is and each child receives a T-shirt recognizing the contributing organizations.

“It is especially inspiring to see students using their time to help set up and distribute the bikes,” Newman said.

Newman is not daunted by the state of the economy, nor is he concerned about the generosity of Shawnee residents this year. Instead, he is encouraged. He pointed out that, as the economy began to take a downturn last year, FCO still received enough donations to give away more bikes than ever before.

“I know that even in economically challenging times, God still uses people to bless children,” he said.

Newman explained that families going through hard times often feel alone. By sharing the love of God through the giving of bicycles, Faith Christian Outreach is able to help a family in more ways than one. Not only is the church relieving some financial stress, but they are also able to send a spiritual message to the family of the child receiving the gift.

“Our hope is that this ministry helps those families to know that they are not alone and that God is using His people to bless them so that they know that God loves them,” Newman said.

Volunteers, bike recipients and their families all benefit from Faith Christian Outreach’s Bikes for Kids event. While Newman said the smiles on the children’s faces say it all, he added that the volunteers are blessed immeasurably.

“You can’t outgive God,” he said, explaining that he knows some families make sacrifices in order to participate and give a bike to someone else. He has seen these families receive blessings in return for their unselfishness.

Bikes for Kids gives volunteers a chance to experience the true meaning of Christmas. Just as God gave his only Son on Christmas day, we have the opportunity to give to others.

“This event reminds us to be thankful for the many ways God has blessed us rather than to focus on what we don’t have or still need to buy for Christmas,” Newman said. “It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season, but this event gives us the opportunity to pause and really focus on what is truly important.”

The church and the Shawnee community have benefited as well. Through this program, some families have become active members of the church and now volunteer on a weekly basis. What started with the simple gift of a bike, has become a blessing for families that are now reaching out within the Shawnee area to help even more families in need.

Nominations are due by December 7. This year’s distribution date is set for 10 a.m. December 19 at the Expo Center. For more information on the ministry of Faith Christian Outreach or their Bikes for Kids program, call (405) 275-2988.