University of Georgia Athletics
Lady Bulldogs Conduct Bike Build (Video)
December 12, 2014 | Women's Basketball
The Georgia Lady Bulldogs hold their eight annual Holiday Bike Build for deserving children on Saturday after raising the funds to purchase the bikes.
Dec. 12, 2014
ATHENS, Ga. --- The Stegeman Coliseum concourse turned into a bicycle assembly location on Saturday afternoon as the Georgia Lady Bulldogs conducted their eighth annual "Holiday Bike Build."
Each year since 2007, the Lady Bulldog Basketball team has raised funds to purchase bikes and assembled those bikes, which are then given to deserving children. All told, the team has provided nearly 450 bicycles over the past eight years.
"I remember when we started with 20 bikes in the old weight room in 2007," head coach Andy Landers said. "The whole idea was developed by that team. We had a long break while we were in Athens before the holidays. They wanted to do something for local children. So many people remember getting a bike for Christmas. I remember getting a bike for Christmas. I wore that thing out. I'm pleased that we'll be able to make this holiday a little more special and more memorable for children who deserve that."
In 2008, Academy Sports + Outdoor joined the program and donates bicycles and helmets to match the number purchased by the team. The staff at Academy also is on hand to assist with the bike assembly.
"Academy has been a great partner with us," Landers said. "They double our efforts and results."
The team assembled approximately 60 bicycles at 1:00 on Saturday with members of Fastbreak Club, the Lady Bulldogs' official booster organization.
"Some of our players have gotten pretty good at bike assembly," Landers said. "I think that's an important ingredient to this program. Actually putting the bike together provides a different level of ownership in the effort. We've got some players who didn't know a wrench from a screwdriver as a freshmen who can now put together a bike with only a couple of quick references to the instructions."
This year, bikes will be distributed through schools in Athens/Clarke County, the Boys & Girls Club of Athens, Jackson County Family Connections and the Athens Area Homeless Shelter.
