Simple Church Donates Bikes to Central Park Elementary

Sixty kids at Central Park Elementary in Bossier City got quite a surprise this morning -- brand-new bikes.

The bicycles were donated by the men's group at Simple Church. For the past four years, the guys have been raising money to buy bikes for kids whose families can't afford them, and this year they've been able to donate 60 bikes to four different local schools.

"I think the first year we did it, we had enough to do about 40 or 50 at a school, and it's just kinda grown from that," said the group's Kurt Joiner. "I think the second year, we got up to 100. In order to raise money this past year, we had a fundraising golf tournament, and they let us come up with a bike shirt."

The kids chosen to receive the bikes were nominated by their teachers and school administrators. They were presented with their gifts during a morning assembly in the school's gym.

Some of the children took the opportunity to try out their new rides inside the gym before handing them over to their parents to bring home for them. Joiner said the men's group looks forward to these events every year.

"It is the highlight of our year. We start talking about it in the spring, and kinda start planning our fundraiser," he said. "It's absolutely one of the most fun things."

The schools nominated by the guys in the group are chosen at random out of a hat. The group will be visiting Plantation Park, Creswell and Vivian Elementary Schools before the week is over.

Joiner said this goes along with the theme of the church, which is to try to do good and help other people.

Take a look at video from this morning's event: