A Creative Way to Share Enthusiasm

The act of giving often sounds easy, but it truly takes a giving heart to share something with another person in hopes of brightening their day.

That’s exactly what the Moyer family wanted to do for two Milton Hershey School students. MHS General Superintendent employee Emery Moyer and his family recently won two bikes in a contest. His children, Ainsley and Perrin, already had their own bikes and decided to give their new bikes to other children who needed them.

“My kids heard me talking about ‘The Give’ and they graciously decided to donate [their new bikes] to the students,” Emery said.

To share their gift of enthusiasm with others, the Moyer family teamed up with the school’s Campus Safety and Security Department. Together, the team created a contest and offered each second-grade student a chance to earn one of the bikes by writing an essay about their most prized possessions. The top two winning essays were selected by a group of Safety and Security employees, and those students were awarded the bikes.

“These students look forward to the little bit of extra that you can do,” said Emery.

MHS second-graders Autumn Gemmill and Jahmir Bailey were the winners of the second-grade essay contest. Autumn chose to write about her stuffed hippo and said, “It keeps me safe and cozy.”

Jahmir’s essay was about his basketball, and he shared how it reminds him of his uncle James who had passed away. He wrote, “I can remember my uncle was a basketball coach. I hope I never lose it. My uncle was important to me because he was my favorite uncle.”

The students’ enthusiasm for their winning bikes made the act of giving all worth it for the Moyer family.

“Our students look up to what the MHS staff does, and if I can help demonstrate that with me and my own family, I think that’ll help them in life,” Emery said.