Daniel McDonald
One group of Milledgeville women is seeing to it that Santa’s sleigh gets a little help from motorcycles this year.
The Secret Petals Motorcycle Club of Hardwick adopted two Baldwin County children for Christmas this year to help their families put a little bit more under the tree. The seven members of Secret Petals used money collected in various fundraisers held throughout the year to purchase presents to help two families in need this holiday season.
“I just love to see the expressions on the children’s faces when they see all the gifts under the Christmas tree,” Debra “Spicy Brown” Parham said.
This is the third year that The Secret Petals have helped make Christmas special for others by sponsoring children during the holidays. This year, with the help of Elnetra Cleveland at ABC Learning Center, The Secret Petals were able to sponsor two families for the season.
“We like to provide for the kids,” Melinda “Queen B” Beal said. “But we know that it also helps the adults.”
Sherry Brannam, whose son Dakota was sponsored by The Secret Petals, and other children Shyann, Wyatt and Brandon were sponsored by the ABC Learning Center, said she is happy that there are generous organizations out there that are concerned with helping children during the holidays.
“I’m very glad that these services are available for the community’s children,” she said.
The Secret Petals also sponsored Tonya Simmons and her 5-year-old daughter Jasmaine this year.
Walking into the room and seeing the Christmas tree decorated with metallic blue ornaments, The Secret Petals’ color, Jasmaine said that presents are the thing she most looks forward to at Christmas.
Secret Petals Secretary Nakeycha “Crispy Cream” Hooks said that the club’s holiday tradition of providing presents to Baldwin County children is just a part of the clubs’ efforts to celebrate the community that is their home.
“We’re a group of females who enjoy riding motorcycles and who have a goal of giving back to the community,” Hooks said. “And we’re happy to say that this year we were able to ensure that two more families have a good Christmas.”
But between receiving thanks from those families The Secret Petals helped share Christmas with this year, Beal said she would like to thank Elnetra Cleveland who helped the club select the families they sponsored and the community that continues to make The Secret Petals efforts possible.
