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'OnBikes' Christmas bicycle giveaway
Briona Arradondo reports
TAMPA, Fla. - Christmas came a few days early for some deserving children in the Tampa community, and OnBikes and the city’s mayor gave out more than 100 brand-new bicycles to children on Friday.
A festive float and semi-trucks carrying bicycles traveled through three neighborhoods as OnBikes staff and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor partnered for a holiday giveaway to surprise dozens of children.
"It makes me feel good," said Faith Williams, 6, of Tampa. "What’s special is I don’t have a red bike."
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OnBikes unloaded and gave 120 bikes to children through programs at community centers in Tampa.
"Just seeing the joy on the kids’ faces, it’s just so wonderful. And for many of these kids. it’s their first bike," said Castor.
From Santa’s gentle guidance for first-time riders to the regular riders hitting the grassy straightaway, kids as young as six years old to as old as 18 years old got to experience the joy.
Six-year-old Faith is learning, so she couldn’t wait to pedal away with her father.
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"The other one had training wheels on it, and it’s a smaller bike. This one she’ll probably ride better," said Thaddeus Williams, Faith’s father. "It brings joy to my heart for somebody to give. We’re givers and isles better to give than to receive. So, we really appreciate everything and the mayor for hosting this thing here, and we’d just like to say thank you."
OnBikes co-founder Julian Tobin has done the giveaway for six years now.
"When we started out, it was all about what’s under the tree and every kid deserves a bike. And it’s really moved toward impact," said Tobin.
He heard firsthand how bikes are becoming more than just one-day gifts.
"We were actually doing an event in Naples and a girl working at the hotel we were doing the event saw we were doing the event and said, ‘Hey, I was a recipient of one of your bikes. Because I received that bike and that used that to get to after-school programs, which improved my grades and now landed me here,’" said Tobin.
At a time when the holiday may not be bright for everyone, the wheels propel the children into a sense of freedom and joy. OnBikes representatives said they are grateful the community has embraced what they do every year.
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