LAFAYETTE PARISH — Families across Louisiana can now register for the Gordon McKernan Bike Giveaway, which is a tradition that has grown annually since it's started.
An attorney with Gordon McKernan's Law Firm, Matthew Reed, sat down with KATC to give all the details on how you can win a bike for your child through the Gordon McKernan Bike Giveaway, or a child that you know.
The firm is giving away 600 bikes and helmets this year across eight cities, with Lafayette’s event scheduled for December 5 from 1–3 p.m. at the local office on Verot School Road.
Attorney Matthew Reed said the spirit of the event is rooted in sharing a memory everyone understands: “Gordon McKernan wanted to share that experience of your first bike. Everybody knows what it’s like to have their first bike."
The giveaway began with fewer than 100 bikes in Baton Rouge and has expanded statewide over the years. Last year the firm distributed 488 bikes, when organizers didn’t believe they could surpass that, they got a surprise this year, to reach an even higher amount. Reed said, “Every year it grows… and then this year, sure enough, we’re doing 600.”
Each child receives a bike and a helmet, as the firm emphasizes safety and accessibility. Community groups are encouraged to share registration information.
Reed said the event is his favorite each year because of the joy it brings, adding, “I love being able to share in that joy that you see in the kid getting their bike, or the relief that you see in the parents or grandparents knowing that Santa has one less thing to worry about this year.”
An attorney will be there on the day the bike's are handed out to personally put the bikes into the car and gift them to the family.
Organizers say they hope residents will spread the word, help identify vulnerable families, and show up together on giveaway day, to join Gordon McKernan and his firm when they give the bikes to the winners of the Gordon McKernan Bike Giveaway. Registration is open now at GordonGives.com, and winners will be selected after December 1.
