SALISBURY, N.C. — More than a hundred children in Salisbury got an early visit from some of ‘Santa’s helpers.’
The Salisbury Police Department in partnership with Gerry Wood Auto Group gave away bikes to children in need this holiday season.
The showroom at Gerry Wood Honda in Salisbury is usually filled with cars, but Tuesday morning, the two-wheelers took over.
"It's one of those things a kid can have on Christmas Day and immediately play with,” Koula Black, organization development lieutenant with the Salisbury Police Department, said. “It's ready to go."
The Salisbury Police Department and Wood family have been collecting bikes around the holidays for 20 years.
Wood's son is in law enforcement, and the family started this tradition as a way to create positive interactions between children and officers at a young age after hearing their son tell them how children in at-risk neighborhoods would run away from officers.
"My husband and I sat down and said, what we need to do is have an initial meeting of somebody in blue, a uniform, meet with a child and have a very positive experience because that will go on and on,” Brenda Wood said.
They've given out as many as 140 bikes. This year, they were able to collect 125 bikes to spread holiday cheer to children in Salisbury.
"One of them a few years ago said to one of the officers, 'Wow, I want to be a cop when I grow up.' And he said, 'Really, that's why?' 'So I can make kids happy,’” Wood said. “And it just brought it all home to us. It's all worthwhile. We'll do it as long as we possibly can."
The officers rolled out the bikes and loaded them up, taking them to different neighborhoods around town.
"It's just one of those really great events where they don't see us just as a badge, and we're not our serving calls,” Black said.
The gift of bikes is helping to build relationships and bring a little Christmas joy in the process.
Contact Kendall Morris at kmorris2@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.