Page 15 - Florida Sentinel 12-18-15 Edition

Holiday Feature In His Memory:
Late Businessman’s Family Continues Legacy Of Giving
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
In 1999, Alex Cooks began donating bicycles to children as Christmas pres- ents. After he placed a dona- tion box in his business, Alex’s Southern Style Barbe- cue, 5362 West Village Drive, in Carrollwood, his cus- tomers began donating as well.
Two years later, Cooks established Alex’s Xmas For Kids Foundation and contin- ued donating bicycles to chil- dren at Christmas. But, on June 9, 2015, Cooks was in- jured in a motorcycle acci- dent and did not survive.
Now, his wife, Mrs. Aimee Cooks, sons, Alex, Jr., Jorden, Dwayne, and Chazz, and Ms. Elizabeth Brennan, Co-Founder of Alex’s Xmas For Kids Foun- dation, are carrying on his legacy.
Mrs. Cooks said, “We are giving away 530 bicycles this year and Alex’s tradi- tion continues. Although we tragically lost him, the foun- dation was near and dear to his heart.
ALEX AND AIMEE COOKS, SR.
“Our four sons, Eliza- beth and I have vowed to keep it going. It was very im- portant to him. Although he was from Mobile, Alabama, he lived in Tampa for nearly 30 years, so he considered Tampa his home,” she said.
Last Christmas, Cooks was trying to reach the goal of reaching 21,000 in 21 years of donating.
When Cooks first began the bicycle donation, he said he was inspired to give away new bicycles because he never had a new bicycle as a child. He was the youngest son in a large family and al-
ways inherited his older brothers’ bicycles.
Cooks launched the pro- gram by purchasing the first 10 bicycles himself. Each year, depending on the dona- tions, the number of bicycles he was able to donate fluctu- ated. The largest number of
bicycles donated was in 2007, when 1,414 children received them.
Now, his family and friends will continue the tra- dition that Cooks began. And the donation box re- mains in the restaurant year- round for anyone wishing to
make a donation.
Cooks always allowed
the school district to select the recipients of the bicycles earmarked for elementary aged students. On Wednes- day the bicycles were do- nated by his family in his memory.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-B