Teddy Arroyo says he remembers his parents, John and Patricia Lopez, telling him how important it is to take care of the community. On Saturday, Arroyo put that memory into action as he met the children and their parents who
Teddy Arroyo says he remembers his parents, John and Patricia Lopez, telling him how important it is to take care of the community.
On Saturday, Arroyo put that memory into action as he met the children and their parents who received new bicycles for Christmas at Bicycle John.
“I didn’t want to just drop off the bicycles,” Arroyo said. “If they come to Bicycle John, at least they’ll know where they can come to when they have problems with their bikes.”
Arroyo said this is the fifth year he has contributed bicycles to children on the island. This year, he added on four new bicycles, two each for Koloa School and the Wilcox Elementary School.
“This is just a small way our small plumbing company can thank the community for all the support we get from them throughout the year,” Arroyo said.
Earlier in the month, Arroyo, who also gives back as a football official for the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation football program, was at the Kaua‘i Food Bank where he not only contributed a monetary gift, but challenged other contractors, big and small,
to make a difference for the island they do business on.
Kelvin Moniz, one of the Kaua‘i Food Bank officials, said that was a pivotal point in its Holiday Food & Fund drive that was nearing its end, but struggling to make its target.
“When people heard about Teddy’s gift, there were some contributions that came because they said they read about what he did,” Moniz said.
But the highlight of Arroyo’s Christmas is the annual bicycle giveaway where two bikes are presented to students, usually one boy and one girl, at Kekaha School, Waimea Canyon School, ‘Ele‘ele School, Ke Kula O Ni‘ihau, St. Theresa School, Kalaheo School and the Kamehameha School at Kaumakani.
“The first two years I got help from Mary Manuel,” Arroyo said. “Billy DeCosta, a teacher at Waimea High School, had his hand in helping, too. Now, my wife has been helping for the past couple of years.”
The giveaway is a way Arroyo wants to show his own three sons about the importance of sharing and giving back with the community.
“One day, I want them to be able to do this, too,” Arroyo said. His sons, Keenan, Kaulana and Kingzley are usually on hand to help him deliver, or help the children get adjusted on their new rides.
The students flashed their biggest smiles as they got help adjusting their bicycle helmets that accompanied the bicycles.
“Joy and Dale Pigao and Mike and Moana Taa provided the helmets so each of the children could have one to go along with their bicycles,” Arroyo said.
As he helped the children locate their bicycles among the sea of bikes at Bicycle John, Arroyo told them to be safe riders and have their bikes registered.
“He didn’t want bikes that wouldn’t last,” John Tanner, owner of Bicycle John said. “But he did all the work. I just do what I do everyday.”
Each “ride” was personally checked and assembled by the professionals at Bicycle John, and each was checked to ensure it fit its new owner well.
Arroyo said he knows the importance of getting a quality bicycle because when he was growing up, he had to assemble a bike by using various parts scrounged from discarded ones.
“But this is not about me,” Arroyo said. “It’s a testament to my parents and the fine job they did of raising us kids.”
And for the children whose parents were without cars and therefore weren’t able to pick up the bikes, no problem. Arroyo had plans to deliver the bikes to them at home, he said.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
