A local motorcycle club has started what it hopes to be an annual Christmas tradition.

The Comosapiens Motorcycle Club’s local Mexico chapter decided to make a Christmas special for a local family by providing them with Christmas gifts. The club started in Columbia but has eight local members from Mexico. DeAndre Thomas, one of the club's local members, said they reached out on social media and were able to find a family.

“I saw it on Facebook where a lady was looking and I reached out to her on how it works and what needed to be done,” Thomas said. “She got the list, sent it over to us, and we did the shopping.”

This is the first year the club has sponsored a family but they want to continue to help families every year going forward. Thomas said the club wanted to help but at the same time they hope to change the way biker clubs are viewed.

“Us wanting to give back to the community and kind of change the images of how bike clubs are seen in the normal eye because not everybody is bad,” Thomas gave as a reason for sponsoring a family. “There’s a lot of clubs that do good things. We try to embrace the light any way we possibly can by trying to help any need or any good cause.”

Thomas said some families not only need help with providing gifts to children but also need their spirits lifted.

“A lot of people are not fortunate to have even the basics for Christmas like Christmas lights and a Christmas Tree to put up,” Thomas said.

Thomas said the group raised their own funds but would not be opposed to taking donations next year. The group can be found on Facebook.

“As long as we are able to help a family, is the main focus,” Thomas said.