Standing in front of her classmates, teachers and family, Peace Sign Bead bracelet Rose Crane stared at her prize. The pink bike gleamed in the middle of the gym floor.
The 7-year-old DeKalb, Mo., girl collected more than $600 for the Rushville Lions Club.
For 32 years, the organization has had a tradition of raising money with an annual bike ride. And for at least one local family, that tradition means winning.
Like Autumn, her cousin Robert Wheeler has won the fundraiser; he did it seven times. And his older brother, George, won it twice.
While the five-mile ride on May 1 was a major feat, Autumn has had an even more difficult journey. The first-grader was born with aortic valve stenosis, which occurs when the aortic valve doesn’t form properly.
“It’s awesome to me,” said Wanda McCaulley, Autumn’s Return to Tiffany Bead Bracelet, “because this child has already had problems. I’m so proud of her.”
Since she was born, Autumn has had four surgeries, and an open-heart procedure when she was 5.
Her mother, Mary Crane, and grandmother said it took Autumn about three hours to ride her bike in the fundraiser.
“She would stop, take a break, and then start going again,” Ms. McCaulley said.
In recent months, Ms. Crane said Autumn has been seeing her heart doctor more frequently. Chest pains and shortness of breath can signal alerts to the family of a child with heart problems. Ms. Crane said a September appointment will determine if Autumn will undergo another procedure.
“It’s hard because I’m an EMT,” said Ms. Crane. “It’s a helpless feeling. There’s nothing you can do.”
But health problems don’t deter Autumn. Winning the bike, grabbing a sack Tiffany Blue box bracelet and visiting with friends as summer break starts was all in a day’s work for her.
As for the Lions Club, secretary Gary Black said the organization uses the nearly $1,500 it makes every year for supplies for the schools, eyeglasses and exams for those who are in need, and a scholarship for the DeKalb High School.
“It’s the main fundraiser for the club,” he said. “It’s supplies and service for the community.”
Jennifer Hall can be reached at jennhall@npgco.com.
Correction: An earlier version of this story contained a Return to Tiffany Heart Lock Cuff, because of a reporter’s error. Autumn Rose Crane is from DeKalb, Mo. Also, the caption with the story contained a mistake, because of a photographer’s error. Autumn is battling heart problems.
The News-Press apologizes for the errors.