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Santa’s workshops are here

By Wesley LeBlanc
Posted 11/20/18

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – It’s often said that ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,’ but this Christmas, one person’s used bicycle can become transformed into another child’s entire …

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Santa’s workshops are here


Posted

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – It’s often said that ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,’ but this Christmas, one person’s used bicycle can become transformed into another child’s entire Christmas.

Volunteers for the J.P. Hall Children’s Charities Christmas Party are busy repairing lonely forgotten bikes people no longer use to be able to give them to kids this Christmas.

Thirty years ago, Richard Knoff, a former Green Cove Springs Fire chief and a deputy chief for Clay County Fire Rescue today, gathers up firefighters from all over the county to repair and donate bikes to the Christmas Party. Knoff hopes to donate 600 bikes this year, but to do it, he needs Clay County’s help.

“Last year, we gave around 575 bikes, we being the J.P. Hall Children’s Charities, the James Boys of Orange Park United Methodist Church, the first responders involved and the Men’s Club at First Presbyterian Church of Green Cove Springs [that Knoff is also a part of], and this year, we hope to donate even more,” Knoff said. “To do that though, we need more bikes.”

Knoff said it doesn’t matter if the bikes are working or not – he and the volunteers will repair them and get them in tip-top shape for the children.

“It really is a county effort,” Knoff said.

According to Knoff, last year was the first year the First Presbyterian Church of Green Cove Springs got involved and now, members of their Men’s Club, including Knoff, repair bikes on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to Noon with help from first responders from all over Clay County. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the James Boys of Orange Park United Methodist Church repair bikes as well.

“We’ve been doing this since Hurricane Katrina,” said Marty Wilson of the James Boys. “We started small and now we’re able to donate hundreds of bikes.”

Wilson said his team focuses on making the bikes better in any way they can. Whether the bike is brand new or used, James Boys volunteers do all they can to ensure they don’t deliver a bad bike, a sentiment the rest of the volunteers share.

“Every kid deserves the best bike because for many, it might be their first and only bike for a while,” Wilson said.

Knoff said that although he hopes there are enough bikes for each family every year, there is sadly no guarantee that every child who wants a bike will go home with one. In the long run, though, Knoff is confident he and the volunteers involved can get a bike to every child in need of one.

“During the party, we try and meet the needs of every family, but sometimes, we’re limited,” Knoff said. “When you think of the number of bikes and the number of children, we should be able to service each one because a child doesn’t need a new bike every single year. One year, this kid gets a bike and the next year this kid gets a bike and so on. One day in our future, every kid will have a bike we hope.”

Virginia Hall, president of J.P. Hall Children’s Charities, said it’s hard for her to put into words how thankful she and the charity are for Knoff and his volunteers.

“Richard does an amazing job and we are just truly beyond thankful for him,” Hall said. “If you’ve gone to one of our Christmas parties, you know how many bikes we have and families that go home with bikes and without Richard, it just wouldn’t be possible.”

The upcoming Christmas Party will be held on Dec. 15 and will mark the 37th year the charity has provided Christmas gifts to families in need. For Knoff, that’s what all of this is about – helping those who may not otherwise have a Christmas.

“All of this means the same thing it meant when we started it,” Knoff said. “We’re able to help kids and provide bikes to children that wouldn’t have one otherwise. Seeing these kids get a bike for the first time, it touches your heart.

“No child should have to miss out on the opportunity to ride a bike,” Knoff said. “All of this, all of the bikes, all of the volunteer time, it’s all about the smile on a child’s face when they get their first bike.”