MUSKEGON, Mich. — It was a special day for dozens of families in Muskegon who received free bicycles and Easter baskets. It was all thanks to one local woman who wants to give back to her community.
Tammy Sircher started all of this because she's lost touch with her kids and grand kids. She hasn't seen them in years and while she's trying to see them again, she wants to help other kids out who may not be able to get anything for Easter.
It was a fun and emotional day with nearly 200 Easter baskets and 25 bikes distributed to families in need.
"I got an Easter basket and I won a bike," said 12-year-old Peyton Brandel.
"My bike is pink and has streamers on the side where the handles are," said 10-year-old Harmony Mull.
It was all thanks to Tammy Sircher.
"I'm just trying to pay it forward," Sircher said.
Sircher says she's paying it forward because she doesn't get to give Easter baskets to her grandchildren.
"I haven't seen my kids or my grand kids in five and a half years," Sircher said. "I get to play grandma to other kids because mine aren't here.
Sircher decided to make 10 Easter baskets to give away originally and put it on Facebook looking for people to give them to. It eventually blew up.
"I posted that I was looking for 10 kids because I want to donate baskets," she said. "My Facebook blew up. It went from 10 to almost 200."
With donations from the community, Sircher helped give dozens of families a special Easter weekend.
"My favorite thing was probably spending time with my family," Brandel said.
"We needed the help," said mother Brandy-Faye Mull. "It kind of just came as a blessing. We got Easter baskets and they were miraculous. There were Barbie dolls, candy and it wasn't cheap stuff. This is stuff I wouldn't have been able to do five times for my kids. I'm so thankful. I know my girls are going to be thankful tomorrow."
While Sircher wishes she could spend Easter with her kids and grand kids, she says this is the next best thing.
"It makes me want to cry," Sircher said. When you pay it forward it makes you feel good. Do stuff for other people. Don't think about yourself."
Sircher says she's trying to continue to pay it forward with events like this and is already working on setting up a Christmas in July event to give presents to kids in the area.
