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Kids ride on air -- and bikes photo by Jim Craven Rob Rowland-Dunn of the Youth Diagnostic Shelter says the response to a request for bicycles was overwhelming. The shelter received more than 50 bicycles in response to the Mail Tribune's "Light One Candle" series. Agencies overwhelmed by donations from `Candle' readers By JoNel Aleccia of the Mail Tribune Light One Candle About the series "Light One Candle" is a Mail Tribune feature that focuses on a single need of a person, family or agency during the holidays. For information, call 776-4465 or e-mail jaleccia@ mailtribune.com For the 12-year-old boy who got first dibs on a brand-new bike, this Christmas will be remembered for the kindness of strangers. His new wheels were among more than 50 bicycles donated to the Youth Diagnostic Shelter in Phoenix, part of an overwhelming reader response to the Mail Tribune's third annual "Light One Candle" holiday charity series. "Oh my God, it has been just wonderful," said Rachel Griffin, shelter coordinator. "We had people show up with brand new in-the-box bikes and $200 Schwinns. I had no idea." As of week's end, the shelter had received more than 50 bikes, 25 helmets, eight bike pumps, boxes of tools and offers from three people willing to repair old bicycles, Griffin said. Extra bicycles will go to the Lithia Springs Programs for at-risk youth. "The kids all got to pick out a bike," said Griffin. "It's the best present any kid got this year." And bikes were just the beginning. Social service agencies throughout Southern Oregon were inundated with coats, clothes, toys and movie tickets as readers responded to tales of need. As of Friday, more than 100 mattresses, along with sheets, pillows and handmade quilts, had been donated to help a 19-year-old mother and her 6-month-old son. "People brought cribs and toys, too," said Peg Bowden, director of the Jackson County Healthy Start program. "One woman dropped off $100 worth of toys with a note from her kids. It said: `To the lady with the baby in the paper."' At ACCESS Inc., Ellen Gray's office was filled with coats and clothes and sports equipment, all aimed for a Talent mother of five coping with cancer this Christmas. "She's just very tickled," Gray said. "I've gotten lots of hugs and thank-yous." At the Children's Advocacy Center in Medford, a plea for toys for young boys was more than met, said intake coordinator Christina Hill. "We got enough basketballs to supply the Globetrotters," she said. "We got enough to supply our families and then help out with other agencies as well." A 4-year-old Medford girl's desire for a doll with fancy clothes was answered by a flood of donations to CERVS, said director Sharon Schreiber. Ditto for the 14-year-old boy's wish for a pair of matinee movie passes and a couple of coupons for hamburgers. "Everybody's been bringing in movie coupons and fast-food coupons," says Schreiber, whose agency serves some 800 local low-income families. "I've been telling them that this young man has been taken care of and we can use it for the other kids. God knows we've got a bunch of those." Over and over, agency staff members recounted stories of uncommon kindness. At the Independent Living Program run by Community Works of Medford, a 16-year-old single mother had her choice of several warm coats for her 1-year-old daughter. "One lady came in yesterday and brought in a beautiful coat for the baby, then she turned around and bought a brand-new coat for the young mom, too," said Pat Carter, program coordinator. In addition to the clothing, the program received several donations of blankets, dishes and other household goods to help an 18-year-old boy trying to furnish an apartment on his own. "We've got 18-gallon Rubbermaid baskets and we've made each of the kids hope chests for when they leave," said Carter, whose program serves nearly 40 at-risk young people. Donations were still coming in as of Christmas Eve, said organizers at other agencies. Three Medford boys will start the new year with new shoes. "We got more than $130 in gift certificates just this morning," said Tom Cole, director of Kids Unlimited, a nonprofit agency in Medford. "And someone set up a card account at Cascade Athletic Supply so I can just get them some shoes." Along with the tangible goods, agency staff members said the holiday drive resulted in improved awareness of the plights of the clients they serve. "I had people come on site and see the facility. It's not this enigma to them now," said Griffin, of the Phoenix youth shelter. "We got to have conversations with people about what we do. All of us here are just, like, `Wow.' Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA