Bike recipients with happy smiles. Their mother is a single mom who felt especially blessed because of this gift.
Adventurers collected toiletry items to fill bags for homeless people in Tampa.
by Joevanette (Vany) Rodriguez
Representatives from the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning and Onbikes of Tampa, Fla., presented 30 Adventurer-size bicycles on March 28 to Philip Harris, Assistant Director of the St. Petersburg Adventurer Club, and Joevanette (Vany) Rodriguez, Adventurers North Zone B Spanish Administrator. The presentation was made in Thunder Alley, the main entrance to Amalie Arena, shortly before the Lightning’s evening game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“We believe sports and an active lifestyle can play an important role in a child’s life, helping them to become healthy, self-assured, and dynamic future leaders,” said Kasey Smith, Senior Director of Community Relations for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The bikes were designated for children in need or deserving. “This is where the fun part began—contacting our participating clubs and entities between Tampa and Orlando,” said Rodriguez after the presentation of the 30 bikes.
Local clubs kept some of the bikes to benefit children who volunteered for Global Youth Day; however, two-thirds of the bikes were donated to Loaves and Fishes, a nonprofit charity that serves low income and homeless people.
The opportunity to receive the bikes resulted from a story written by Rodriguez detailing how 156 kids from nine Pathfinder Clubs and four Adventurer Clubs in the Tampa Bay area donated their time and efforts during Global Youth Day to feed the homeless and visit a senior citizen home, a police station, and fire station.
Previously, club members collected toiletry items to place in backpacks for the homeless and prepared food on site to feed them on Global Youth Day. In every street location, Pathfinders and Adventurers prayed and talked with people, while also distributing tracts and books.
“We were called to serve,” says Rodriguez. “So, on Global Youth Day, with the donations received, we were able to give back to those in need.”
Representatives from the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning and Onbikes of Tampa, Fla., presented 30 Adventurer-size bicycles on March 28 to Philip Harris, Assistant Director of the St. Petersburg Adventurer Club, and Joevanette (Vany) Rodriguez, Adventurers North Zone B Spanish Administrator. The presentation was made in Thunder Alley, the main entrance to Amalie Arena, shortly before the Lightning’s evening game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“We believe sports and an active lifestyle can play an important role in a child’s life, helping them to become healthy, self-assured, and dynamic future leaders,” said Kasey Smith, Senior Director of Community Relations for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The bikes were designated for children in need or deserving. “This is where the fun part began—contacting our participating clubs and entities between Tampa and Orlando,” said Rodriguez after the presentation of the 30 bikes.
Local clubs kept some of the bikes to benefit children who volunteered for Global Youth Day; however, two-thirds of the bikes were donated to Loaves and Fishes, a nonprofit charity that serves low income and homeless people.
The opportunity to receive the bikes resulted from a story written by Rodriguez detailing how 156 kids from nine Pathfinder Clubs and four Adventurer Clubs in the Tampa Bay area donated their time and efforts during Global Youth Day to feed the homeless and visit a senior citizen home, a police station, and fire station.
Previously, club members collected toiletry items to place in backpacks for the homeless and prepared food on site to feed them on Global Youth Day. In every street location, Pathfinders and Adventurers prayed and talked with people, while also distributing tracts and books.
“We were called to serve,” says Rodriguez. “So, on Global Youth Day, with the donations received, we were able to give back to those in need.”