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Mayor Castor delivers bikes to Tampa kids
Eyvn Moon reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - For the fifth year in a row, Mayor Jane Castor and community partners made surprise deliveries of brand-new bikes to deserving kids throughout Tampa, working with the OnBikes charity.
Friday afternoon, Castor and volunteers arrived at community centers on a parade float, carrying around 150 bikes for kids. Castor read off the names and kids came running for their new rides.
"It’s one of the best days of the year… We start calling out the names and just that anticipation and sure joy, it takes you back to your childhood when you received that first bike, it’s very exciting," Castor said.
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OnBikes started raising money to give bikes away to deserving children five years ago, and since then, they have given away 10,000. FOX 13 spoke with the co-founder on Friday.
"It melts your heart when you see these kids with their signs, and you’re pulling up, and they’re so excited," said Julius Tobin, OnBikes Co-Founder. "The special part about it, is it’s about the impact. Will these kids go to a tutor, after-school program, boys and girls program? And for older kids, a job interview? It’s how do we open those doors… we are just a cog in the wheel."
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Kids screamed for joy as they received their holiday gifts.
"I’m so excited. If it was a ranking out of a 10, I’d be 12. That’s how excited I am right now," said one child.