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30 bikes for 30 kids: Norfolk couple needs help to ‘pedal it forward’ for former foster children

Posted at 10:38 PM, Oct 28, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-28 23:31:56-04

NORFOLK, Va. - Two years ago, Bill and Sharon Campbell had an idea: "Wouldn’t it be neat if all the kids could just have bikes?"

Bill and Sharon Campbell

But not just any kids - the kids who waited and waited to join their newly formed families.

Bill is a member of Norfolk’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee, and they participate in the city's annual Adoption Day ceremony to recognize the children who are placed in new permanent homes.

"It was such a hit the first year because we did it kind of like Oprah does, where everybody gets a ticket and, 'You get a bike' and 'you get a bike' and 'you get a bike.'"

The Campbells want the recently adopted boys and girls in Norfolk to have one more thing to smile about during the holiday season.

"His feet didn’t even fit the pedals, but he ran up on that bike and his mom was like, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, settle down.' I believe that makes it all worth it," Bill explained while talking about one boy who was gifted a bike on Adoption Day.

They’re hoping to keep the tradition going for a third year, but they’re on a tighter timeframe this year and need some help to get 30 bikes for 30 kids by next Monday.

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"For me, a bike was always like that first piece of freedom that you get. You don’t get a car, you get a bike - that’s what you got first, and for me that was... I remember the feeling I got when I got my first bike, and if I can re-create that and someone else, that makes it worthwhile for me," said Bill.

It's an exciting time for the kids and the parents who are able to finalize a long adoption process. The Campbells say giving the gift of a surprise is a present they can also enjoy for themselves.

Bill jokingly says he does it for the selfish reason of wanting to see a child's face light up and it’s that pure feeling of joy on the kids’ faces that keeps them wanting to pedal it forward for many years to come.

If you want to help out and donate a new bike for Monday’s Adoption Day ceremony in Norfolk, you can reach out to the Campbells by email at Bikesforfosters@gmail.com.