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Model train group hosts holiday open house

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Beyond the Byline: Celebrating Christmas traditions

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; &#8220;You&#8217;re never too young to be a biker.&#8221;</p><p>Those are the wise words of Doc Bohn, a member of the Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club, and those words would prove to be prophetic as the club, in conjunction with the Salvation Army, handed out over 50 bikes to young children as part of &#8220;Bykes 4 Tykes&#8221; at the Salvation Army on Saturday afternoon.</p><p>The club and the Salvation Army have been teaming up to hand out bicycles to children for the better part of a decade now, and according to club public relations officer Linda Armstrong, over 650 bicycles and 525 helmets, in addition to $38,000, have been donated for the cause.</p><p>The cause? Helping needy children and their families, and easing the burden felt around Christmas time.</p><p>The kids were invited to the Salvation Army for a Christmas party, enjoying cupcakes and ice cream before the bikes were handed out. Santa Claus himself, with a little help from some volunteers, handed out each and every bicycle to a child.</p><p>Families of two, three, even four children waited patiently for their turn to sit on Santa&#8217;s lap and receive their shiny new toy. The smiles on these kids&#8217; faces were bright enough to light even the biggest Christmas tree.</p><p>The idea for Bykes 4 Tykes came from a since-deceased member of the Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club, George Thompson, known affectionately by his fellow members as &#8220;Big George.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;George loved helping kids,&#8221; said Jim Biscotto, one of the club members.</p><p>Not only were the children grinning ear to ear, but their parents were as well.</p><p>&#8220;I had a big smile on my face when I found out about this,&#8221; said Jaren Morris, father of Natalie, Chase, Chloe and Gary. &#8220;We come here every year.&#8221;</p><p>All four of the Morris children were presented with a brand-new bicycle and a picture with Santa.</p><p>The funds necessary to purchase over 50 bikes and helmets came from the Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club&#8217;s annual Bykes 4 Tykes motorcycle ride held on Aug. 25, during which they exceeded the expected total amount of money raised.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Santa and Mrs. Claus stand with Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club members before giving away over 50 bicycles at &#8216;Bykes 4 Tykes&#8217; at Salvation Army Citadel in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219Bikes4Tykes_5.jpg</photo0><caption0>Santa and Mrs. Claus stand with Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club members before giving away over 50 bicycles at &#8216;Bykes 4 Tykes&#8217; at Salvation Army Citadel in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219Bikes4Tykes_2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Santa hugs Kayden Griffin, 1, with the help of his mom Tyla, both of Wilkes-Barre, at Salvation Army Citadel during &#8216;Bykes 4 Tykes,&#8217; sponsored by the Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club, in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219Bikes4Tykes_2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Santa hugs Kayden Griffin, 1, with the help of his mom Tyla, both of Wilkes-Barre, at Salvation Army Citadel during &#8216;Bykes 4 Tykes,&#8217; sponsored by the Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club, in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219Bikes4Tykes_3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Santa stops to chat with Gia Williams, 6, left, and brother Ry&#8217;lee, 9, both of Wilkes-Barre, as he makes his way around the tables at Salvation Army Citadel in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219Bikes4Tykes_3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Santa stops to chat with Gia Williams, 6, left, and brother Ry&#8217;lee, 9, both of Wilkes-Barre, as he makes his way around the tables at Salvation Army Citadel in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </caption2><photoCredit2>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219Bikes4Tykes_4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club members Becky Jean, of Plains Township, left, and Valerie Swaditch, of Wilkes-Barre, pass out ice cream to the children as they wait for Santa to arrive at Salvation Army Citadel in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219Bikes4Tykes_4.jpg</photo3><caption3>Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club members Becky Jean, of Plains Township, left, and Valerie Swaditch, of Wilkes-Barre, pass out ice cream to the children as they wait for Santa to arrive at Salvation Army Citadel in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </caption3><photoCredit3>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219Bikes4Tykes_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Three-year-old Dante Shotwell, of Nanticoke, tries out his new bicycle with Santa during &#8216;Bykes 4 Tykes,&#8217; sponsored by the Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club, at Salvation Army Citadel in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219Bikes4Tykes_1.jpg</photo4><caption4>Three-year-old Dante Shotwell, of Nanticoke, tries out his new bicycle with Santa during &#8216;Bykes 4 Tykes,&#8217; sponsored by the Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Club, at Salvation Army Citadel in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </caption4><photoCredit4>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Kevin Carroll</p><p>kcarroll@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Big smiles for ‘Bykes 4 Tykes’