Donors ensure needy teens will have a merry Christmas
By Kirsten Ballard
Published in News on December 6, 2014 11:58 PM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Jonathan Swaney unloads the truck full of children's bikes donated to the Salvation Army.
Santa's sleigh is not the only thing riding through town this Christmas.
The Spokes Group of Eastern N.C. dropped off 80 bicycles at the Salvation Army on Friday morning -- gifts that will soon make their way under the trees of needy Wayne County teenagers.
"Those are for the teenagers, so they get Christmas too," said Angela Hill said, director of operations for the Spokes Group.
The bikes, she said, are going to be the "wow factor" under the tree for members of pre-registered families.
"It's the big thing under the tree," Mrs. Hill said.
Salvation Army Capt. Julie Igleheart was taken aback by the donation.
"This is above and beyond," she said.
Some of the bikes come with bright streamers from the handlebars.
Others look intimidating with black and red paint jobs.
"Everybody remembers getting a bike for Christmas," Mrs. Hill said.
The bikes were assembled in Kinston last weekend by local youth groups, Boy Scouts and the Trail Life group.
The project started four years ago when Cannon Marketing business owners, Walter and Tony Cannon, decided to do something for the community.
The Cannons had a personal connection to the Salvation Army.
The organization, they said, was there for them in a time of need.
So now, they are giving back.
The Salvation Army registered families in October for Christmas assistance. Caregivers will pick up the bikes and other angel tree gifts on Dec. 19. They will also receive a Christmas food box.
The organization hopes to, according to Capt. Igleheart, serve 300 families in the area this year.
But in order to make that goal a reality, help from the community is needed.
"We need all of our angels to be adopted," she said. "We're trying our hardest to make sure everyone has a good Christmas."