Fundraiser helps Hiawatha girl get special bike

They asked for help and they got it.

A fundraiser held Sept. 23 at the Pizza Ranch in Cedar Rapids to help Hiawatha first-grader Carly Allen, 7, and her family raise $600 to buy a special adaptive bicycle was a huge success, raising $1,474.29.

Carly has Sotos syndrome, a rare genetic disorder characterized by excessive growth early in life that results in delayed motor development and low muscle tone, among other symptoms. The low muscle tone makes riding a traditional bike impossible for her - something Carly desperately wanted to do. She requires a special adaptive bike that will cost $600, something her mother, Lisa Allen, couldn't afford.

So family and friends planned the fundraiser where customers at Pizza Ranch, 2450 Westdale Dr. SW, could donate 15 percent of their bill toward the fund. Friends and family also bused tables and any tips received went toward the fund.

But it turns out all the work was just icing on the cake because after people read about Carly's need in the Sept. 21 issue of The Gazette, the donations started flooding in, including a check for more than $600 that paid for the cost of the special bike from an anonymous donor.