Although the passers-by during rush-hour traffic on Gallatin Pike in Hendersonville this past Tuesday may have glimpsed 100 shiny new bikes in the parking lot of Raising Cain’s, little did they suspect that none other than stand-up comedian, podcaster, actor, and influencer Theo Von, along with Vandy quarterback and SEC Newcomer of the Year Diego Pavia, were among the crowd of revelers.
The two stars were on hand as Von and Raising Cane’s Hendersonville presented the Holiday Bike Donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee, for which all attendees agreed was a rousing success.
Inspired by Raising Cain’s founder, Todd Grave’s memories of the excitement and joy around receiving his first bike, the event is part of a nationwide effort to donate 2500 bikes to underprivileged kids. The Hendersonville location hosted the Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee, and in addition to bikes for the kids, everyone in attendance took home a box of chicken fingers (which are pretty awesome if you’re one of the few remaining humans who haven’t tried them yet).
Von’s reputation as a down-to-earth, regular guy was on full display as he interacted with the young ones, helping them find their balance on their new bikes. The guy is a bonafide superstar, but many were too young to know; they still gravitated to his easy-going charisma like an older brother.
The same could be said for Pavia, except that if the line to have him sign mini-footballs was any indication, he might have been more recognizable to some of the older kids.
One thing’s for sure: the kids joyfully received their bikes. The parking lot quickly became an obstacle course for the adults, who had to dodge bicycles zooming by from every direction.
As Von put it during his comments to the crowd, “Keep the Christmas Spirit in your heart this year. It’s about giving, it’s about lifting people up. That’s what Christmas is all about.”
