By Shavonne Potts

Salisbury Post

Through tears, Josephine Leach described the excitement she saw in her granddaughters’ eyes as they received bicycles for Christmas.

Leach’s granddaughters, Lavonda, 4, and Francine Moody, 8, are just two of more than 100 children who received bicycles Friday morning from Gerry Wood Autocentre and the Salisbury Police Department.

The Salisbury auto dealer purchased 118 bicycles and police officers delivered them.

Leach said the girls knew they would be given the bikes, but couldn’t stop talking about them.

“They couldn’t wait. They kept asking Grandma, ‘Is today the day?’ ” Leach said.

She said the girls couldn’t sleep the night before because they were so excited.

Leach said her daughter, Sandra Leach, had been sick and recently had surgery.

Before the bicycle giveaway, the girls were not receiving very many things for Christmas.

“It’s a blessing. I’ve been praying,” Leach said.

Sandra said later in a phone call that she was so thankful that her daughters were “getting a good Christmas.”

Even though it continued to drizzle, the girls were still outside riding their new bikes, Sandra said.

Elizabeth Blamo said her niece and nephews had been waiting weeks for their bicycles.

The day finally arrived for Dekerius, 8, Mykeria, 6, and Tydarius Adkins, 5.

There are a total of five siblings in the Adkins family, however, the other two are too young to receive bikes.

Blamo said the children will be riding their bikes even if it’s still raining.

She said her sister recently got a house and a job.

“She’s struggling, but she’s making it,” Blamo said.

Chiquita Smith said her son, Nasir Fudge, 7, and daughter, Myeshia Fudge, 8, didn’t know they’d be getting bikes.

As a single mom, she knew they wanted these gifts, but also knew she would not be able to get them.

She said her daughter asked Santa Claus for a bicycle and put it on her Christmas list.

“She wanted one, but didn’t know she’d get one,” Smith said.

Before the bikes were unloaded from the van, the expression on Johnny Chavis’ face spoke volumes.

His eyes grew wide and his mouth flew open as he peeped from the living room window. Chavis, 4, and his sister, Ashlyn, 5, were thrilled to relieve bicycles this year.

Their mom, Tasha Hoyt, said her children’s bicycles were stolen from their front porch in April.

This year, 118 bicycles were given away along with a number of teddy bears to infants and children too young to receive a bicycle.

The police department provided helmets for each bike rider and registered them as well.

Gerry Wood customers also participated this year, Brenda Wood said.

Customers who purchased a car this year from the dealership signed their name to a tag that was then attached to the bicycle.

“We are so proud of the police force and their dedication,” Wood said.

She added it was also good to see more officers this year donating their time to the event.

Wood said the bike giveaway “let’s people know the police are here for them.”

Contact Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253 or spotts@salisburypost.com.