Hundreds of children from military families will have bikes under the Christmas tree this year thanks to the generosity of a local company.
BAE Systems has been working with the USO for 14 years to distribute bikes to military families around the holidays. The government contractor has campuses throughout the county, including one in Rancho Bernardo.
BAE started the campaign in 1995 by donating five bikes. That number has grown to 840 this year.
"Eight-hundred-forty good deeds, 840 children with huge smiles on their faces Christmas morning and parents feeling great about having something substantial to give their child," said K.C. McCarthy of the USO.
"The military does a great job of taking care of us and defending our freedoms and our nation, and our employees are entirely grateful," said Ron Zuccaro of BAE Systems.
The money for the bikes comes from BAE employees. They hold various fundraisers throughout the year to make this program possible.
