New Lenox First-Grader Surprised With Bike, Visit From Army Dad

NEW LENOX, IL — The Lincoln-Way West girls soccer team took part in a very special surprise recently at Tyler Elementary School in New Lenox. The team surprised first-grader Zoey Marcanio-Martino with a new bike and — best of all — her dad. Army Sgt. Joseph Martino rode the bike into her classroom for the surprise.

This surprise was put together by the PepsiCo Showdown, according to the district. Back in April, nearly 3,000 student athletes from the city and suburbs donated $1 apiece to purchase 100 children's bikes and built them to surprise military children. Throughout the month of May, 100 kindergarten through third-grade students at random elementary schools throughout the Chicagoland area are being surprised with new bikes.