Tampa nonprofit Onbikes announced last week that its annual fundraising events including the Annual Bike Build and Winter Wonder Ride have been postponed to spring.
“Our sponsors, volunteers, riders, and our community’s safety is our top priority,” read the Facebook post. The group decided that with the number of COVID-19 cases rising, it was safest to move the event to 2021.
The group was founded in 2011 with the mission of providing bikes to at-risk kids to support self-confidence and healthy living, according to the website. So far, it has given 7,000 bikes to kids in need.
The annual bike ride and concert—which normally happens in the first or second weekend of December—has become a staple in Tampa Bay, featuring artists like Big Boi, who is one half of Outkast, and CeeLo Green.
Technically, the concert wasn’t canceled because Onbikes hadn't planned that event for this year. Organizers, however, did initially think the bike ride and fundraiser could be done safely. Because of the current health situation, they recently decided against
“We’re trying to do everything we can to turn this into a positive thing,” Julius Tobin, the co-founder and executive director of Onbike, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. He said that no matter what, the group is dedicated to providing bikes to kids in need this year.
“The Grinch may have stolen our event after all, but we won’t let him steal our drive to deliver bikes to kids in need this holiday season and throughout next year,” reads the Facebook Post. “ Stay tuned for more information on how you can still support our mission this holiday season.”
The Onbikes ride joins, Gasparilla parades and the Gasparilla International Film Festival on the list of downtown-centric events that've had to alter plans in the wake of the coronavirus.
UPDATED: 11/25/9:55 a.m. Updated with comment from Onbikes co-founder Julius Tobin.
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