AUGUSTA, GA – BMX racing is an extreme sport that can be enjoyed by the whole family, but on Dec. 5, Augustans can take the sport a step further by helping out area children.
Augusta BMX will be holding their annual Secret Santa Toy Drive Race at 2050 Division Street off Broad Street following their Fall Series Championship Race on Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m.

“What we do every year is we have a local race, but instead of paying their normal $10 rate fee, participants have to bring a new, unwrapped toy,” said Keri Tedesco, the mother of two boys who race  with Augusta BMX. “Last year, we donated the toys to the Medical College of Georgia’s Children’s Medical Center. The years before that they went to Toys for Tots.”

But this year, Augusta BMX decided to focus on a local charity that doesn’t always get a great deal of attention.

“This year, we are actually looking into Helping Hands in Aiken,” Tedesco said. “It is a home for abused, neglected or abandoned children.”

Helping Hands is a United Way agency that provides 24-hour residential care to children — birth to 21 years old ­­— who are victims of abuse. The organization began in 1973 after several Aiken citizens were shocked to discover that the county jail was the only place to house children who had been displaced.

“It is a great cause,” Tedesco said. “I have two boys who race with Augusta BMX and I take them to the store and we pick out one boy toy and one girl toy. It just shows our riders how to give back to other kids that are a little less fortunate.”

Practice and registration for the Dec. 5 race will begin at 5 p.m. with the actual race starting at 6:30 p.m.

“Also, in case some of the riders don’t bring a toy, but they do bring the regular $10 registration fee, we will take that money and we will also take any money our concessions stand makes that night, which usually comes up to $500 or $600, and we will buy toys for the kids,” Tedesco said. “We will go to Walmart that night — me and about five other moms — and we just buy tons of toys. It is just so much fun.”

For more information about the Secret Santa Toy Drive Race, visit augustabmx.com.