143 bikes. Just waiting for 143 kids to ride them.
8-year-old Dewaun is one of them. His old bike has a hole in the tire.
“Luckily I can ride this bike because that one had training wheels on it. So I’ll ride it really fast,” he said.
Arnez was ready for a bigger bike too.
“It’s better for me because anytime I feel like I can fall, i can put this down,” he said.
Every child at the Freddie Solomon Boys and Girls Club at Nuccio Park is getting a brand new bike Tuesday.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office organized the giveaway with the help of the DeBartlolo Family Foundation, Paragon Water Systems, and Tampa Idealease.
“This is just the opportunity to be the beacon of light that’s going to change the neighborhood as we live in it,” said Jay Tillman.
Tillman helps run this Boys & Girls Club..he says this kind of interaction with law enforcement goes a long way.
“If we can show them that that badge is a good thing not a bad thing, maybe we can get some of the things that goes on in the neighborhood to stop. Because we are going to have people not scared to talk to the police office and help them stop doing some of the things that’s plaguing this community,” he said.
The kids didn’t want to wait to test out the new bikes. They turned the tennis court into a track. But soon enough they’ll take the new wheels home and ride into Christmas in style.
