Members of Marion (NC) Lodge 1705 and Chapter 1428 look like they’re having a great time, but they’re also working really hard to pedal their tricycles to raise money for a local girl who badly needed some financial assistance. This year’s event raised $6,400.

Six years ago, Marion NC Lodge 1705/Chapter 1428 organized a Tricycle Race to raise money to help Janie Martin, a local girl battling leukemia. The event raised some $1,700, but sadly, Janie lost her battle with leukemia a year later.

The event, however, continues, and it gets bigger very year. This year, the Marion Moose raised $6,400 to help Katie Duke, a local six-year-old girl born with spina bifida and other family and medical complications.

She lived her first two years in foster care, then was placed with Melissa Duke, who is now Katie’s mom. At the time of placement, Melissa was told Katie would never walk or talk. Katie, however, proved everyone wrong and is now walking, talking and attending kindergarten. In the past year, Katie was diagnosed with a brain tumor; she needed chemotherapy.

The Moose stepped forward to raise funds to help with the family’s mounting expenses. The key event was a tricycle relay race involving 21 teams and 84 racers. Over 3,000 attended at the Hickory, NC Motor Speedway to watch the event.

With the $6,300 raised, Katie’s family was able to purchase an adaptive tricycle to help her muscles get stronger, a computer so she could study while undergoing chemotherapy, and other helpful items. Katie spent the day smiling from ear to ear, and that same expression can be seen on the faces of the hard-working Moose members, pedaling away in the name of a very good cause.