[SDCBC] Military Families get bicycles.

[Robert Leone]

Dear SDCBCers:
	Does anyone have contacts with the San Diego USO? They're distributing 
nearly a thousand bicycles to military families. This sounds like a bike 
rodeo just waiting to happen.

	http://www.navycompass.com/news/newsview.asp?c=231780
Text:
Bicycles donated for San Diego military families

Friday, December 14, 2007

By Commander, Naval Surface Forces Public Affairs

Vice Adm. Terrance T. Etnyre, commander, Naval Surface Forces, paid a 
visit to BAE Systems in Rancho Bernardo, Calif., Dec. 5 to thank the 
corporation and its employees for their donation of 965 bicycles and 
helmets to the San Diego United Service Organization (USO).

The bicycles will go to children of military service members who may not 
have mom or dad home this holiday season.

"Sailors and Marines deployed around the world," said Etnyre. "You don't 
know how much it means to them and their families to know that they have 
the support of their community."

The bicycles, which were divided between nine different bases in San 
Diego County, will be given to children of junior enlisted personnel.

Etnyre said, "This outpouring of generosity sends a message to our 
Sailors and Marines that this is a wonderful community to live in."

This is the seventh year that BAE Systems and USO have partnered to 
spread holiday cheer through the donation of bicycles. In order to pay 
for the bicycles, BAE Systems employees conduct fundraising events and 
assemble many of the bikes on their own time.

Since the inception of the program in 2001, more than 4,000 bikes and 
helmets have been given to military families in San Diego.

President/CEO of the San Diego USO, Susan Farrell said, "This is one of 
those cases where you will never see there faces, but you know you've 
made children happy."

END of quote.

Robert Leone