VIDEO: Car Dealer Surprises Kids with Early Christmas Bike Giveaway

For the fifth consecutive year, Maui car dealer Jim Falk gifted hundreds of brand new bicycles to deserving island kids in a surprise Christmas giveaway.

A total of 250 kids, ranging in age from 6 to 17, learned of their early Christmas gift during a special gathering held Wednesday afternoon at the Valley Isle Motors showroom in Kahului.

Kylee Mercado from the Central Maui Boys and Girls Club said she thought the surprise was going to be food, but was excited to find out about her brand new bike.

“It was awesome to get a bike because mine is broken,” said Mercado.  “They said nothing about it.  They just said be respectful, be thankful and we have a surprise,” she said.

Falk thanked the company’s employees and staff for all their hard work throughout the year that made the gift possible again this year and explained the history behind the giveaway.

“This is the fifth year that we’ve done this where we get together a bunch of kids from Maui and give them a bike for Christmas.  Ever since I was a little kid, the most exciting present I ever got was a bike, and so I wanted to do something nice for the kids of Maui,” said Falk.

“It’s great to see kids’ smiling faces.  I have twins who are 12 and a 14 year old daughter and there’s nothing like the smile of kids faces during Christmas time,” he said.

The kids were hand-selected from six clubs from across the island (Makawao, Haʻikū, Lahaina, Central Maui, Paukukalo, and Kahekili Terrace) based on those members that were the “most deserving.”

Kids celebrated by testing out their new wheels in the company’s Puʻunēnē car lot.

Kylee Mercado from the Central Maui Boys & Girls Club. Photo by Wendy Osher.

Bicycle giveaway 2015. Photo by Wendy Osher.

Bike safety tips were offered to the kids. Photo by Wendy Osher.

Bicycle giveaway. Photo by Wendy Osher.

Bike tricks. Photo by Wendy Osher.

Jim Falk. Photo by Wendy Osher.