Christmas giveaway holds deep meaning for widow

Behind the fast-moving boxes and the last-minute bike repairs lies the true meaning of Christmas.

“Until you see 650 bikes all in a row…it’s just mind boggling,” said Carol Reinert, Bob Telmoss’s widow.

When he passed away, his dying wish was not an easy one.

“I asked him, would he want a street or a park or something, he said ‘All I want is the giveaway. Please keep it going as long as you can,'” she said.

She admits, she had doubts she could do it.

“The year he passed away, I went on the air and said we couldn’t do it. I had no idea where to start,” she said.

But instead of getting smaller, this Christmas tradition got bigger.

“The city just erupted with, ‘we’ll help, we’ll help, we’ll help,'” she said.

It was support that grew…and drew volunteers, who didn’t even know Bob Telmoss.

“I’ve been volunteering for the last six years, we started out six years ago, with my children and teaching them to give back to the community,” said Todd Garcia, a volunteer.

The end result is this: a massive giveaway for kids and adults.

From stuffed animals and toys, to dinner and groceries, even a drawing for bikes…it’s all volunteers who have donated.

Reinert doesn’t attribute it to herself, but her neighbors.

“It’s them, that they remembered him,” she said. “He would be over the moon, he really would. I walk around and think about the support and it’s growing. I think he would be over the moon.”

The 32 nd annual Bob Telmoss Christmas Giveaway is Saturday morning from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. or until supplies run out.

Reinert said people have lined up as early as midnight in years past.

The giveaway is at the Freedom Financial Services Expo Center, 3650 N Nevada.