SHERBURNE – The focus of the Sherburne Wheelers ATV group may be to promote safe riding, conservation and preservation of riding areas, but the group is no stranger to community service. A fact they proved last week when they donated 301 hand made hats to the Chenango Health Network to be distributed to area cancer patients.
“We’re a group that is very involved in the community and we’re always looking to do more,” said club President Lex Danyluk. “We feel that a club needs to be involved in the community to really be accepted as part of that community.”
In that regard, the wheelers have participated in several community service projects recently, including a Christmas toy drive, a coat donation drive and extensive involvement with the local food pantries.
Their latest project, a collaboration between the Chenango Health Network and the Sherburne group, was created to provide something for local cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Chenango Health Network Cancer Support Services Coordinator Kendra Ives explained the “chemo caps will be used for the cancer companion bag project which Chenango Health Network is presently working on.” The Cancer Companion Bag project provides items for cancer patients under going chemotherapy. The bag generally contains items including a hat, blanket, lip balm, lotion, a cross-word puzzle and other items to help those receiving the drug treatment.
The Sherburne group became involved with the Health Network after helping with a dirt bike raffle held at the group’s Wednesday night Bike Night last summer. After working with Ives, the group wanted to find a way to help more, and the Chemo Caps project provided that opportunity.
The Sherburne Wheelers recruited volunteers to help crochet and knit the hand made caps. The volunteers, including: Vivian Hull, Charlotte Lindsley, Shirley Bendura, Verna Fauss, Alice Quentin, Virginia Carney, Joanne Salmon, Patricia Donnelly, Betty Arnister, Dara Danyluk, Donna Danyluk, Sylvia French, Sherry Miller, Peg Gordon Veronica Maier and Ellen Smith have collectively finished over 301 chemo caps.
Last week, Sherburne Wheeler Board Members went to Chenango Health Network to drop off the caps collected so far, but the project is far from over. “We’re still looking for donations of hats, yarn or money to buy yarn,” Danyluk said. Anyone interested in volunteering to make hats can contact the Danyluks at 674-2980. Donations can be sent to The Sherburne Wheelers at P.O. Box 1133, Sherburne, NY 13460.
The Sherburne Wheelers’ weekly bike night events will return in May. The events will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday from May through September.