WILLIAMSTON, N.C. (WITN) - 2022′s Great Bike Giveaway kicked off Wednesday afternoon. The contest offers families one month to enter their bid for a special bike.
A Martin County family was the recipient of a specialty bike last year. Alston Bullock spent Wednesday morning taking laps around the front yard on his prize. Squeals of pure excitement were heard from Alston Bullock as he was strapped into the bike, perfect for his needs. With his brother, Kevin Bullock behind him, the Williamston teen is riding in style. “The bike helps with outdoor fun,” Alston Bullock’s mother Monica said. “He gets to come outside and enjoy time with his brothers. He’s not sitting in his wheelchair watching them, he’s actually riding around with them.” The opportunity was made possible by a generous donor and Friendship Circle’s national Great Bike Giveaway campaign. “Having a child with special needs is challenging enough. It’s a 24/7 job,” Friendship Circle Director Bassie Shemtov said. “So, Friendship Circle really comes in and wants to be there as a family member.” Entrants have three ways to earn their gifted bikes: by voting, drawing, or fundraising. Alston Bullock came close to missing out on the opportunity last year until a mystery miracle saved the day. “We had one donor that donated pretty much the entire bike cost on the very last day,” Monica Bullock said. The total cost of the bike was more than $1,500. Monica Bullock suspended physical therapy and other services as the threat of the pandemic took hold, trying to keep her son safe from COVID exposure. With his bike, Alston Bullock is able to work on those skills safely. “He’s getting the range of motion in his legs. He’s getting the exercise he needs,” Monica Bullock said. Always trotting along is Kevin, who is happy to lend a hand to his older brother. And he also gets something in return. “It feels good to know that I have a good brother just like him and to know that he’s one of the best brothers ever,” Kevin Bullock said. They are brothers and bicycle buddies, bonding over their shared love of spending time together. The good news train keeps rolling for Alston. He has been granted a wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They are going to fund a fully functional, adaptive gym space in which the 15-year-old can play with his brothers and have therapy with his specialists. Entries for Friendship Circle’s Great Bike Giveaway are open until March 16th. Registration information can be found here.
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