Wrightsville Beach business owner Jimmy Gilleece spins up holiday joy via his annual Jimmy’s Bike Drive.
What began as an almost empty toy collection box at a yearly Christmas concert has grown into an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit — and a statewide movement. Today, it involves more than 50 charities and has provided thousands of free bikes to kids in need.
The driving force behind it all is husband-and-wife team Jimmy Gilleece, owner of community staples Jimmy’s Wrightsville Beach and King Neptune, and his wife, Keaton. The couple launched their holiday joy ride with no idea it would become such a massive and far-reaching effort.
This started back in 2017, when Gilleece noticed how few toys were in the Toys for Tots donation box, and he considered buying a bike to donate. As the idea simmered, he thought about posting a challenge on social media: If someone donated a bike, he would match it with another…