The Boys and Girls Club of Hoboken was given 36 bikes from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) last week, and the local children who gathered couldn’t wait to get on the two-wheeled gifts.
Jay Garcia, director of the B&G Club, at 123 Jefferson St., distributed the bicycles to kids under 11 years old who didn’t already own a bike.
“A lot of the stuff that goes on here happens because a bunch of people that you may never know…care about you guys,” Garcia said.
The bikes had to be adjusted and the tires had be filled with air, so the kids couldn’t just jump on and start riding, but their eyes lit up when their bike was presented to them to be registered.
Any leftover bicycles will be donated to the Jubilee Center.
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The Stevens Institute women’s lacrosse team was on hand to hand out the bikes. The local student athletes donate their time to tutor the kids, and some of the young women were part of a NCAA leadership conference where the bikes were assembled.
Garcia said any leftover bicycles would be donated to the Jubilee Center, another local youth program.
Mayor Dawn Zimmer and some other local officials were on hand for the event. Zimmer said she looks forward to organizing a bike ride with the kids.
Garcia said the bikes were donated by the NCAA without any request from the B&G Club, which isn’t uncommon.
Recently a businessman dropped off 45 “rip sticks,” or skateboards with only one wheel on each end that kids weave back and forth down the street on.
Garcia said the man never left his name, but also provided the club with helmets.
Because they are more challenging to ride, Garcia distributed the “rip sticks” to kids over 12 years old.
Timothy J. Carroll may be reached at tcarroll@hudsonreporter.com.