SENECA FALLS — Thanks to a number of local agencies and benefactors — and through the leadership of Seneca Meadows Inc. — 135 children in Seneca County received new bicycles for Christmas.
On Dec. 19, families entered a drive-through contactless loop at the main entrance of the Seneca Meadows facility with all social distancing and hygiene protocols in effect per local and state guidelines. Through partnerships with Seneca County House of Concern, Seneca County Head Start, Seneca County Veterans Agency, Ovid Food Pantry, Lodi Library, Lodi Food Pantry, and Seneca Falls Backpack Program eligible children and families were selected to participate.
Waste Connections, Seneca Meadows parent company, started the Christmas Promise Bike Build 20 years ago. For over 10 years, Seneca Meadows was supporting another bike giveaway program called the Hoops Bike Giveaway. About four years ago, that was rebranded as part of the Christmas Promise Bike Build.
“Our friends and neighbors in the Finger Lakes region joined with the Seneca Meadows family of essential workforce to build bikes for local kids in Seneca County, and we cannot do it without the tremendous assistance from our local essential workforce of vendors and contractors,” said Kyle Black, Seneca Meadows district manager.
The bike build operation begins with gathering a “Santa’s List” with the partner agencies. Next the bike build team, in conjunction with the local Walmart, works to ensure each child on the list would have the right size bike and helmet.
Because of COVID-19, the actual bike build — usually a festive gathering with pizza and wings and tunes on someone’s Bluetooth speakers — was a little different this year so builders could remain safe and properly distanced.
Once the bikes were built the Christmas Promise team organized them for distribution day, which is always the Saturday before Christmas.
Supporters of the 2020 Christmas Promise bike build at Seneca Meadows were Seneca Meadows essential workforce, Michael Scaglione, Debbie Weaver, MJ Persing Jr., The Protectors LE MC UPSTATE, John Nabinger, Chris Scaglione, Emily Campbell, Wes Campbell, Mike Bellone, Zoladz Construction, Vantage Equipment, Nixon Peabody, John Kramer, Finger Lakes Truck & Welding, Hydroseeding Technologies, Tetra Tech and Waterloo Walmart.
