Happiness Is A Brand-New Bike

  When Joy Jackson—co-owner with Guillermo Zarate of the new chain of Lakeside 2-Hour Laundry and Drycleaners—won a boy’s bicycle in a drawing, she immediately went out and purchased a girl’s bike so she could gift two Mexican children with a brand-new bicycle. “I felt this was just one small way that I could give something back to the Mexican community that has given me so much friendship and acceptance ever since my arrival from Las Vegas,” said Joy.
To choose the two lucky children in an equitable manner, Joy contacted the directors of the three primary schools in Ajijic and one in San Antonio, and a raffle was held among the children who were attending school and did not own a bicycle. When the raffle took place, the two lucky winners’ names were drawn from the box containing all the names of the eligible children. On Saturday, January 8, Joy Jackson awarded the boy’s bicycle to Ajijic resident Alberto Calixto Garcia, 9, a fourth-grade student at Saul Rodiles Piña. The girl’s bicycle was awarded to Riberas Del Pilar resident, Saskia Luquín Lara, 11, a fifth-grade student at Irene Robledo Garcia. Watching the joy on the children’s faces as they climbed aboard their new bikes was a happy reminder that Christmas is truly for children.