Fremont High School special education teacher Megan Render and the Sunnyvale Host Lions club went the extra mile recently to grant the wish of a special-needs student.
Edward Chavez, a sophomore at the school with Down Syndrome, wanted a bicycle to commute to and from school, but his parents couldn’t afford it. So Render reached out to the Lions Club to see if they could help. The group was able to get a partial sponsorship for a cherry red tricycle from the Sunnyvale Target.
“He’s such a sweet kid and is super active,” Render said. “He participates with other students in P.E. and is always the first one to get out there to try to get his body moving. Now he has something at home to keep his activity level up.”
Render added that heart complications are common for those with Down Syndrome, so maintaining an active lifestyle is important.
Club members bought and assembled the bike and installed a large basket on the back for schoolbooks or other items.
“The more low-impact activity he gets, the better his quality of life will be now and in the long run,” said Małgorzata Czajka-Hernik, a Lion who coordinated the project. “I like these kind of projects the most, when we know the actual beneficiary. It’s so rewarding to know how much impact we can have on a person or family.”
Sunnyvale Host Lions have served the Sunnyvale community since 1932. The volunteer driven, community service organization aims to help people in need locally and globally.
“I was so moved and touched by the generosity of the Lions Club; when I got the email and saw the picture of the bike being delivered, I immediately started crying,” Render said. “Sometimes you forget how much good there is in the world and in the local community. It’s nice to see people really care about making a difference in his life and his mother’s life.”
For more information about the Lions, visit sunnyvalehostlions.org or Facebook.com/SunnyvaleLions.
