Cyclists travel across borough spreading holiday cheer
BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
A group of bicycle enthusiasts
put their wheels to good
use this holiday season.
Cyclists from the borough
affi liated with Transportation
Alternatives, an organization
that encourages alternative
forms of transportation like
bicycling in the city as well as
traffi c safety, held a bicycle excursion
around the borough to
spread holiday cheer on Saturday,
December 8.
Three of the members of the
group were in festive costumes
while others wore holiday-related
headgear, and their bicycles
were decked out with red
and green lights, ornaments
and other seasonal decorations,
said Kevin Daloia, Transportation
Alternatives Bronx Committee
chairman.
On the same day as the ride,
Transportation Alternative’s
Bronx Committee volunteers
hosted a holiday party where
they distributed toys to children
at Concourse House, a
shelter for woman and children
in Bedford Park, said Daloia,
who is a Waterbury-LaSalle
resident.
The holiday party featured
a magician, balloons by She-
makesballons, a face painter,
gifts for adults as well as children,
along with pizza, juices
and snacks.
After the party, a dozen cyclists
set out from in front of the
Bronx Museum of the Arts for
a 22-mile ride around the borough
both to spread holiday
cheer and draw attention to alternative
forms of transportation.
Daloia said he dressed up as
Santa Claus, decking out his bicycle
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, D 22 ECEMBER 21-27, 2018 BTR
with red and green headlights
as well as displaying a
Christmas tree effect attached
to the back.
“We ride for a ourselves in
order to have a good time and
to spread holiday cheer,” said
Daloia.
The ride went to several
locations, including stops at
Arthur Avenue’s Ciccarone
Park, a Christmas tree lighting
on Zerega Avenue, and a
large Winter Wonderland display
at Metropolitan Oval in
Parkchester.
Daloia said that he and his
fellow riders were thrilled with
the reactions from the people
they encountered, from children
and their families to police
offi cers and pedestrians.
“It was very festive,” he
said, “We had a radio with holiday
music playing and I think
people who saw us got into the
Christmas spirit.”
Daloia was also joined by
riders dressed an elf and a reindeer,
he said.
“When people see Santa, it
is universal—they wave out of
impulse,” he said. “You can tell
everyone was enjoying it.”
Groups of volunteers in
other boroughs took part in
Kevin Daloia of Waterbury-LaSalle, dressed as Santa Claus with his bicycle
decked out in a festive manner, participated in a ride around the borough
where small gift ballons were delivered and holiday cheer spread.
Photo courtesy of Kevin Daloia
similar rides, said Daloia.
Amril Hamer, Transportation
Alternative’s Bronx Organizer
said that the organization’s
toy drive for Concourse
House, in conjunction with the
bicycle ride, were celebrating
its third consecutive year.
“By having the ride we engage
the community so that
they are aware of our organization
and are willing to support
us when we come to their community,”
said Hamer. “This
brings awareness to our campaigns
for traffi c calming and
safety, like the one we recently
did on the Grand Concourse
and another we are currently
doing on Boston Road.”
Juanita Fernandez, Concourse
House director of social
services, said that both the parents
and adults at Concourse
House loved the gesture and
the presents from the Transportation
Alternatives volunteers.
Prior to taking a festive holiday
ride around the borough, Transportation
Alternatives held a toy
drive with Concourse House on
Saturday, December 8 where they
donated toys to 55 children and
families.
Photo courtesy of Kevin Daloia