Williams & Fudge race event collects more than 300 bicycles for needy children
Employees at Williams & Fudge Inc. spent all year raising money to buy bicycles for children at Christmas. On Thursday, they had some fun before they gave the bikes away.
Employees from Williams & Fudge and several other companies that pitched in to donate bikes competed in a bike race that has become an annual tradition behind the Cotton Factory office.
“The goal was to have some fun and be able to donate some bikes to Toys for Happiness,” said David Williams, president of the company. “And it looks like this year, we are going to eclipse 300 bikes for the first time.”
WRHI’s Toys for Happiness and The Herald’s Empty Stocking Fund collaborate with the United Way of York County’s Holiday Partners program to provide toys to brighten the holidays of children across York County.
Alice Davis, director of foundation and community support for the company, said employees raised $11,400, which was used to purchase 229 bikes.
More than 70 additional bicycles were donated by Williams & Fudge employees and by other local companies and groups that joined in the effort, bringing the total to more than 300.
Davis said employees raised the money with barbecue and T-shirt sales, a chili cookoff, a silent auction, a bowling tournament and cash donations.
Williams said Academy Sports & Outdoors gave a discount on the purchase of the bikes and assembled them, and Smith Dray Line and Storage provided a truck to haul the bikes.
Want to help?
Here’s how to help the United Way of York County’s Holiday Partners program:
▪ Donate to The Herald’s Empty Stocking Fund by mailing donations to or dropping them off at The Herald, 132 W. Main St., Rock Hill, SC 29730. Checks should be made to Empty Stocking Fund, c/o UWYC. For more information on how to contribute, call 803-329-4052.
▪ Donate to Toys For Happiness by dropping off new, unwrapped toys in collection boxes at locations around York County. Local sites include WRHI/Interstate 107 radio stations, 142 N. Confederate Ave., Rock Hill; and the United Way of York County, 226 Northpark Drive, Suite 100, Rock Hill. For information on how to get a donation box placed, call WRHI’s Corree Carelock at 803-324-1340.
This story was originally published December 10, 2015 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Williams & Fudge race event collects more than 300 bicycles for needy children."