The last thing 69-year-old Darlene Alcantar of Nevada City thought she'd win was a new bicycle.

But she earned one recently for collecting the most money among the fundraisers in the 13th-annual Moms on the Mountains hike in late September.

Alcantar raised $1,625 through donations from relatives, friends and acquaintances.

"I went around Nevada City asking different people I knew if they would like to sponsor me for the hike," she said. "I then explained what it was about and where the money went."

People sponsored Alcantar for amounts from $5 to $250, she said.

Alcantar's neighbor, Jodanna Bishop, has helped organize the Moms on the Mountains hike for the past few years. She got Alcantar interested in the event.

Alcantar runs a daycare center in Nevada City. She intended to join the Moms on the Mountains hike this year, at more than 7,000 feet altitude at Boreal ski resort. But at the last minute, she couldn't embark due to health reasons.

This year, Moms raised more than $15,000 for Nevada City schools, Bishop said. The money will be distributed to schools for art and technology programs..

What makes Alcantar's contribution more significant is that Moms raised less money this year than in years past, according to Bishop.

"Our community is very generous, but we have several nonprofits and fundraisers in our community, and people's money get channeled into different causes," Bishop said. "Our revenues were just down a little this year."

Alcantar said she's surprised at her achievement, as she hasn't done much fundraising in her life.

"I cried (when I heard about it)," Alcantar said. "I was speechless and couldn't say anything."

ooo

To contact Soumitro Sen, e-mail soumitros@theunion.com or call 477-4229.