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Church donates 5,000 bikes to underprivileged kids
PHOENIX - A valley church gave away 5,000 bikes to underprivileged people in the community Saturday morning.
Phoenix First Assembly made the Christmas of thousands of children in the valley with brand new bikes donated by the church family.
Their faces were eager with anticipation and their were eyes wide with excitement as they stared at the shiny new bikes stacked neatly on the church's lawn.
"I'm planning to give it to some kids that never had a bike in Mexico," said Jonathan Burgos.
Hundreds of volunteers received their instructions as families waited patiently for the giveaway to begin.
Among the crowd were Zeke and Angel Quema and their three children Zeke II, Brianna and Joshua.
"It's just covering the bills and all that other stuff that comes along and...I mean you've got to prioritize, it's like, okay, how much are you going to have for Christmas this year?" said Zeke Quema.
The program started more than 20 years ago with 50 bicycles and one donor, and that donor has increased the number of bicycles he gives away every year as the need increases within the community.
"We go out every Saturday and we reach out to the most hurting people in the city and we understand that every year this will probably be the only Christmas gift they receive," said Luke Barnett, lead pastor at Phoenix First Assembly.
Barnett says tickets are distributed a few days in advance and all 5,000 bikes are spoken for, but people still line up as early as 5 a.m.
Any left over bicycles will be given to children on the Indian reservation; there are about 100 kids there on a waiting list.
The church member who started the program remains the one and only and anonymous donor of the giveaway.
Phoenix First Assembly made the Christmas of thousands of children in the valley with brand new bikes donated by the church family.
Their faces were eager with anticipation and their were eyes wide with excitement as they stared at the shiny new bikes stacked neatly on the church's lawn.
"I'm planning to give it to some kids that never had a bike in Mexico," said Jonathan Burgos.
Hundreds of volunteers received their instructions as families waited patiently for the giveaway to begin.
Among the crowd were Zeke and Angel Quema and their three children Zeke II, Brianna and Joshua.
"It's just covering the bills and all that other stuff that comes along and...I mean you've got to prioritize, it's like, okay, how much are you going to have for Christmas this year?" said Zeke Quema.
The program started more than 20 years ago with 50 bicycles and one donor, and that donor has increased the number of bicycles he gives away every year as the need increases within the community.
"We go out every Saturday and we reach out to the most hurting people in the city and we understand that every year this will probably be the only Christmas gift they receive," said Luke Barnett, lead pastor at Phoenix First Assembly.
Barnett says tickets are distributed a few days in advance and all 5,000 bikes are spoken for, but people still line up as early as 5 a.m.
Any left over bicycles will be given to children on the Indian reservation; there are about 100 kids there on a waiting list.
The church member who started the program remains the one and only and anonymous donor of the giveaway.
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Member since Oct 5, 2012
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