Page 3 - 6-12-15 Frisday's Edition

Feature
Businessman Who Gave Back Dies In Motorcycle Accident
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
The dictionary defines a “Humanitarian,” as a per- son “having concern for or helping to improve the welfare and happiness of people.” And that is the per- fect adjective to describe Alex Cooks, Sr.
Cooks died on Tuesday after being injured in a traffic accident. He was 49-years-old.
According to the Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff’s Office, the accident took place in the Winn-Dixie parking lot, 13508 N. Florida Avenue, shortly after 4 p.m., Monday evening. Cooks was riding a Suzuki motorcycle.
Police said he failed to yield to traffic on Fletcher Avenue and was struck by Ms. Daphne McElwreath, 68, who was driving a Chevrolet Malibu. Ms. McElwreath was not injured.
Cooks was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital with life- threatening injuries. He died on Tuesday. He was wearing a helmet, police said.
Alex’s Christmas For Kids Program
After moving to Tampa, Cooks opened Alex’s South- ern Style Barbecue, 5362 West Village Drive, in Carrollwood, in 1994. Five years later, he launched a venture that pro- vided more than 21,000 brand new bicycles to children.
During an interview in De- cember, he said he realized that the first students who re- ceived his bicycles are now
ALEXANDER “ALEX” COOKS, SR. 8/18/1965 —- 6/9/2015
adults.
In 1999, Cooks decided to
purchase 10 bicycles and brighten the faces of 10 chil- dren on Christmas morning. He was inspired to do this be- cause of his own childhood. During an interview at the time, Cooks said he came from a large family filled with love.
However, he was the youngest son and always in- herited his older brothers’ bi- cycles. As a child, he never received a new bicycle. So, once he became established, he decided to donate the bicycles. The endeavor became known as Alex’s Christmas For Kids Program.
In order to determine who would receive the bicycles, he partnered with the Hillsbor- ough County School District. When customers entered his business and inquired about the bicycles, Cooks explained
In 2012, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Charities partnered with Cooks after someone broke into his business and took the donation box containing funds for the bicycles. Cooks, center, is shown with members of HCSO Charities, Inc.
(Photo courtesy of Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office).
what he was doing.
He soon found that others
would donate and kept a dona- tion box on the counter year- round. Each year, the number of bicycles he purchased grew, reaching a maximum of 1,414 new bicycles in 2007.
Through the years, Cooks struggled to keep his program going. For Christmas 2014, he set a goal of purchasing 700 new bicycles. He placed his order for 500, but said if he were able to purchase the other 200, he will have surpassed the 21,000 mark.
Last year, during an inter- view with the Sentinel, he said, “The price of everything is going up and I’m hoping that people won’t forget about me.
Whatever I don’t raise in dona- tions, I’ll have to make up the difference out of my own pocket. But, I know that God is always on time.”
Since starting the program, he has had setbacks, but it never stopped him from deliv- ering the bicycles.
In 2012, someone broke into the business and took the donation jar containing $500. The community responded, in- cluding the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, who partnered with him through HCSO Charities, Inc., who do- nated 55 new bicycles to him.
After the burglary, Cooks said, “The neighborhood has responded well and the dona- tions are coming in.” Cooks
gave donations even in death as an organ donor.
The Tradition Continues His oldest son, Alex, Jr., works at the business and store manager Sean Lindsey said, “He would want me to keep it rolling. We’re going to con-
tinue the program.”
A four-year employee,
Lindsey further said, “He did more than just the bicycles. He really helped the community on a day-to-day basis. It’s sad God had to take such a good man.”
A native of Mobile, Ala- bama, Cooks was married to Mrs. Amy Cooks, the father of 4 sons, and 1 grandson. Fu- neral services for Cooks were incomplete as of press time.
FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-A