Make TBO Your Home Page| Subscribe To The Paper| Advertise With Us| Contact Us| Login| Edit Profile| Register
Suncoast Pinellas News
Email
Print
Couple Donate Bikes For Needy Youngsters
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: December 22, 2007
OLDSMAR, Fla. - OLDSMAR, Fla. - Santa's workshop got a little outside help this year, courtesy of Kevin and Debbie Bechtel.
The Bechtels, owners of Life Brokerage Partners, 3982 Tampa Road, donated 97 bicycles and helmets to the Pinellas Sheriff's Christmas Sharing Project. The project helps families in need by seeing that children in those families find a gift waiting for them when they wake up Christmas morning.
On Tuesday, the Bechtels officially delivered the bikes, each decked out with a big red ribbon, to the Sheriff's Office headquarters in Largo.
The couple are corporate sponsors who have come on board since the program began in 1993. Although they come through every year, the Bechtels' 2007 donation was something of a standout, Sheriff Jim Coats said.
"I don't know that we've had a donation of this many bikes from one source," Coats said. It was exciting for his people, who take great pleasure in making Christmas merry with this program, he said.
This year, an estimated 800 children from 300 families will benefit from the Sheriff's Office holiday project, the largest law enforcement-initiated Christmas charity event in the area.
The bicycles ranged in size and styles suitable for boys and girls of all ages. In addition to the bicycles and helmets for the Sheriff's Office, the Bechtels donated helmets and bicycles to be given away in Christmas programs in Oldsmar and Safety Harbor.
They donated about 200 bikes in all.
The Bechtels bought the bikes through Wal-Mart, for about $9,000. Then, they had a bike-assembling party one day at their office. The Bechtels and the employees of Life Brokerage Partners did the assembling, while their children test drove the completed bikes around the office.
Their motivation for spreading so much Christmas cheer was simple. The Bechtels grew up in the area. Kevin graduated from East Lake High School, Debbie from Countryside High School. They have pretty much built the American Dream for themselves right in their hometown.
"My husband has always wanted to give something back," Debbie Bechtel said.
Kevin looked to his own childhood for inspiration as to just how to do it.
"As a kid, my favorite thing that I got for Christmas was when I got a bike," he said.
As the plan took shape, Kevin's mother, Janet Bechtel, reminded them that he had mentioned to her that one of the details from that special memory was that the bike had a big, red ribbon on it. The Bechtels spent an extra $200 on ribbons to give that detail to the future Christmas memories of the kids who get the bikes this year.
The Bechtels will not get to see firsthand most of the joy their donation brings this Christmas, but Margo Adams will. Adams is executive director of the High Point Family Center, in the unincorporated Clearwater area, where the bicycles were distributed to qualifying families.
"It absolutely amazes me this time of year how many people will come out and contribute," Adams said. "And it's not always the big companies and corporations.
It may seem relatively frivolous, Adams said, but for parents who are struggling to make ends meet throughout the year, the added pressure of having to choose between paying bills and buying food versus not disappointing their children on Christmas can make the holidays anything but a merry time.
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online ©2009 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. A Media General company. Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
