It was something Willard Hair and the employees at Atlanta Trek Bicycles in Peachtree City thought would make a difference at Christmas. The bicycle store at Kedron Village Shopping Center last week donated 10 bicycles and 10 bike helmets to Operation Homefront to be distributed to the families of service members.
Hair said he got the idea for the donation after hearing a college student on the radio about two weeks ago saying she did not support the troops or the war.
“That started me thinking about the soldiers and their needs. I’ve been blessed and wanted to make a donation,” Hair said. “When it comes to soldiers it’s different for me than it is for the college student on the radio. It irked me to hear her say she didn’t support the troops because they are guaranteeing our freedom. Soldiers give me the ability to do business in the greatest country in the world.”
Georgia’s Operation Homefront Director of Military Operations Mike Patellis arrived at the Atlanta Trek’s Kedron location Friday to receive the donation.
Patellis said the aim of Operation Homefront is to offer moral support to all military personnel stationed in Georgia. And with the donation of bicycles and helmets, Patellis said there is no set formula to determine which families will receive them.
“It’s on a case-by-case basis,” Patellis said. “Sometimes we let families know about donations through Facebook and we include specific questions for them to answer. And sometimes we get specific requests from the military or from families.”
Operation Homefront is a nationwide organization based in San Antonio, Texas. Its mission is to provide emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our service members and wounded warriors.
For more information visit www.operationhomefront.net.
