Local family donates bikes to area foster kids

One local family is creating awareness about foster care and adoption through generosity. Tea residents, Derek and Alicia DeGeest’s three oldest children, Ethan (age 10), Emmett (age 8), and Evelyn (age 5), competed in seven youth triathlons in SD, MN, IA, and NE this summer, all placing on the podium at each race. Every race the children place at the DeGeest family donated a bike for local foster kids.

“It is important for our kids to race for something more than themselves when competing in their favorite sport—Youth Triathlon,” said Alicia.

She added, “In 2015 we started racing under the banner of FCA Endurance (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). The organization’s motto is “Why do you race?” Years ago we made our family a purpose of living life for another, so it made sense that our answer was to “Race for Another!” Each triathlon season since 2015, we race for a cause that ties to bikes in some way. When we heard of Together We Rise and their bike building events, we knew this would be a perfect fit for this season.

Together We Rise is a non-profit organization dedicated to improve the lives of foster children in America.

Alicia said, “Two years ago we adopted our three year old daughter Ellery into our family.”