Children and members of the Athens community were all smiles Tuesday evening as they awaited a visit from St. Nick and hoped for a chance to take home one of the many new bicycles donated for this year’s Lincoln-Bridgeforth Park Committee bike drawing and toy giveaway.

This year, the highly anticipated yearly event was held at the Pincham Lincoln Center due to ongoing work being done by the city around the park. Organizations and individuals from the community donated toys for kids ages 0-15 as wells as different size bikes to be given away.

The children squealed with delight as the Athens fire engine arrived with Santa. After Santa and the children sang a few songs, the committee got down to business by allowing the kids to select one of the many toys available around the room. They would do this in rounds until all the toys were in the hands of the children.

Next was the big event — the drawing for the bicycles. Shiny new bikes of every size and color rolled out of the doors of the Lincoln Pincham Center in the hands of an elated child.

“We could not have done this without so many in the community stepping up to help,” committee member Laverne Gilbert said. “This really is what community is all about.”

The committee, along with Mayor Ronnie Marks and Councilman James Lucas thanked the many entities who made sure this year’s toy giveaway and bike drawing was successful including:

Morell Engineers Inc., St. Mark PB Church, Little Ezekiel MB Church, McLin Services Inc., Peoples Funeral Home, Grace Missionary Baptist Church, Athens Arts League, Lake View UMC, Limestone County DHR, Athens High School Band, Hometown Grocery Store Hwy 31, Ella the Elf Gingerbread House contest, Mayor’s Youth Commission, Holly Hollman and the Mayor office, BB Townsend Garage Tanner.