“Mayfield Elementary extends heartfelt gratitude to Tena.”
Eighty-eight-year-old Mrs. Tena B. may be small in size, but her heart is as big as the great outdoors. Her selflessness and giving nature took center stage recently, when she donated her small-person trike, valued at $3,500 by Utahtrikes.com, to a special ed class at Mayfield Elementary School in Cleveland, TN. It’s a donation that’s making a difference.
It All Started Five Years Ago
Although the Mayfield Elementary School donation occurred right before Christmas this year, this giving event can be traced back to five years ago. At the time, Tena lived in a senior living community where Christopher Beckstrand was Executive Director. (Now, Chris is the Executive Director and Owner/Operator of Avail Senior Living in Cleveland, TN, and Tena lives in another community nearby. They still visit each other often!)
Tena and Chris got along very well when they first met and soon became good friends. They were so close that Tena offered her small-person trike to Kylee Beckstrand, Chris’ six-year-old daughter. When the trike was given to Kylee five years ago, a heartfelt promise was made: Kylee told Tena she’d find another child who could be blessed by the trike once she outgrew it.
A Special December Donation
Fast forward to 2023, when Kylee kept her promise of donating the trike. For seniors like Tena, moments like this are self-affirming, memorable, and can even bring on a tear or two. On December 12, Tena and her good friends, Chris and Kylee, donated Tena’s trike to the special education class at Mayfield Elementary School.
“Mayfield Elementary extends heartfelt gratitude to Tena and Mr. Chris Beckstrand for their generous donation of a unique, custom-made recumbent bike, which will benefit several students,” said the school’s Assistant Principal, Jessica Bigham. “Their commitment to supporting education and seeing the potential in every student will have a lasting impact on our students, enabling us to enhance learning experiences and create a brighter future for any student, no matter the need. We sincerely appreciate them for being valuable community partners who believe in giving forward and celebrating the work of schools.”
“When Tena decided it was time to share her trike bike five years ago, we had no idea it would find a new home with not just one child but an entire classroom,” explains Chris Beckstrand. “It was heartwarming to see their eyes light up when they saw their new trike bike!”
It is safe to say that this moment will be memorable for years to come for everyone involved. Thank you for your generosity and friendship, Tena!
About Avail Senior Living Cleveland, TN
Avail Senior Living offers exceptional assisted living, memory care, and respite services from a compassionate team of caregivers who connect with every resident and the surrounding community. Enjoying Life at Avail Senior Living is about active and meaningful engagement in a beautiful, home-like atmosphere. Contact us to learn more about our senior living community.
