Page 18 - Florida Sentinel 12-16-16 Online Edition

Holiday Feature
Family Of Late Businessman Keeps Giving Back With Donated Bicycles
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
In 1994, the late Alexan- der “Alex” Cooks, Sr., and James “Jimbo” Coates opened the doors to Alex’s Southern Style Bar- beque, at 5362 West Village Drive, in Carrollwood. And 5 years later, in 1999, Cooks launched Alex’s Xmas for Kids Foundation.
He began the foundation by purchasing ten (10) new bicycles for underprivileged children. His customers saw the new bicycles, asked why they were in the restaurant and began making dona- tions.
Cooks gave thousands of bicycles to children in Hills- borough County working with schools and social workers to determine the re- cipients. But, on June 9, 2015, Cooks, was involved in a traffic accident while riding his motorcycle. He did not survive. He was 49- years-old.
He was married to Mrs.
Aimee Cooks, and was the father of four sons, Alex, Jr., Jorden, Chazz, and Dwayne. He was also the grandfather of Jorden, Jr.
After his death, his has kept the restaurant open and with help from friends, the bicycle donation program in operation.
The Alex’s Xmas for Kids Foundation donated 940 new bicycles to children in Hillsborough County on
Wednesday.
Ms. Elizabeth Bren- nan, treasurer of the foun- dation said, “We plan to continue the bicycle dona- tions in his memory for years to come. And, we are contin- uing to accept donations throughout the year in order to make this possible.”
A native of Mobile, Ala- bama, Cooks was one of 10 children. And during his childhood, he never had his
own new bicycle. He wanted to brighten the holiday for other children who may not have ever had a new bicycle. Since the inception of the program, the Alex’s Xmas for Kids Foundation has given away more than 21,000 bicy- cles.
The bicycles are pur- chased and distributed at the Wal-Mart on Gunn High- way. Alex’s Southern Style Barbeque, has been at the
same location for 22 years. And, although it has been broken into, he never missed donating bicycles to children in need.
The number of bicycles depends on the donations he receives throughout the year.
Ms. Brennan invites anyone wishing to help brighten the life of a child on Christmas to visit the web page at http://www.alexsb- bqtampa.com/xmas- kids.html.
ALEXANDER “ALEX” COOKS, SR. 8/18/1965 --- 6/9/2015
PAGE 6-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2016