All Mya Littles needed was a little push Friday morning and she was off to ride her tricycle to help St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
      Littles and 18 other kids who attend Little Rascals Daycare Center raised about $1,000 for the hospital, as they rode their bikes and trikes around the entrance area to the Statesboro facility.
      “This is the tenth year we’ve held the ‘Trike-A-Thon’ for St. Jude’s and this is by far the most money we have ever raised,” said Donna Moore, owner of Little Rascals. “I’m not sure why we were so successful, but our parents really stepped it up and I’m so grateful.”
      Moore said she wanted to do something to help cancer research after she lost both her father and mother-in-law to the disease about 10 years ago. And since she cared for small children all day, Moore thought St. Jude’s would be a perfect beneficiary.
      Located in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude’s opened in 1962 and focuses on treating children’s catastrophic diseases and doing research to find a cure for cancer.
      “I think the children know a little about St. Jude’s, and they know they are riding to help kids who are sick,” Moore said.
      So, with all their helmets secure and a few wearing elbow and knee pads, 19 kids took off around the circular driveway in front of Little Rascals. Some rode fast, some rode slow and some stopped often to talk, but they all were determined to complete as many laps as possible.
      “They love to get on their bikes and go,” Moore said. “We give them the opportunity to ride as long as they want.”
Moore said despite the 45 minutes of riding, not many get tired.
      “They’ll come inside afterwards, get something to drink and they are ready to go for the rest of the day,” Moore said. “It’s a really fun day for all of us at Little Rascals. And it’s nice to know we are helping St. Jude’s, as well."