record 36-hundred bikes donated
A record number of bikes was given away at the Oncenter this Christmas Eve, but there were not enough for all the waiting people
/ Photojournalist Andy Perdue
The lines stretched outside and around Syracuse's Oncenter early Christmas Eve morning, as over a thousand people braved the cold to wait for the 10am start of this year's bicycle giveaway.
Organizer Jan Maloff says a record 36-hundred were donated in this, the 16th year of the giveaway. But, because people could take as many as they could carry (and some brought duct tape to tape several bikes together) there were not enough to go around. Each bike was accompanied by a bike helmet, bought with donated funds
This year's giveaway was at the Syracuse Oncenter because Fowler High School, closer to the west side community where many recipients come from, is tougher to get to because of ongoing construction.
The bike giveaway program will be accepting old bicycles, as well as cash donations for refurbishing and buying parts and helmets, again next Fall.
