Christmas in July? Owensboro’s Kim’s Diner Is Already Collecting Bikes for Christmas Wish

Who says Christmas has to wait until December?

Certainly not Kim's Diner!

After last year's Christmas Wish Bike Drive collected more than 150 bikes (seriously...150!), Kim decided to get a head start this year. The 2026 bike drive kicked off this summer, and if you've been following along on Facebook, you already know one thing.

Owensboro understood the assignment!

It's been so much fun watching the posts pop up almost every day. One minute it's the Apollo High School baseball team dropping off four brand-new bikes. The next it's Crisp Cut Lawn Care showing up with four bikes and helmets. David "Yard Dog" rolled in with two bikes. So many others have dropped off bikes or made cash donations to help buy even more.

I can't scroll past one of Kim's posts without smiling.

She's still just getting started.

Want to Help?

Kim's Diner is collecting new bicycles, already assembled or still in the box. (Buying them boxed is usually cheaper, and Kim's crew is happy to put them together.)

You can also make a cash or check donation if that's easier. Just write "Christmas Wish Bike Drive" in the memo line, and the money will go toward purchasing additional bikes.

Drop everything off at Kim's Diner, 1212 East 18th Street, and if Kim's there, don't be surprised if she wants a picture with you and your donation. She loves celebrating the people and businesses that make this fundraiser so special.

Kim told me why this fundraiser means so much to her:

"Christmas Wish is especially close to my heart. When I was 9 years old, my dad had to receive it on our behalf during the first year we were adjusting to a whole new life. I know how hard that must have been for him, but I love him so much for putting his pride aside to make sure we still had a Christmas. That act of love has stuck with me ever since."
— Kim, Owner of Kim's Diner

One thing I love about this fundraiser is that it snowballs.

Someone donates a bike. Their friend sees the post and drops one off. A local business joins in. Before you know it, there's another picture, another smile, another bike headed to Christmas Wish.

That's exactly what happened last year, and it's already happening again.

So if you spot a great deal while you're shopping, grab a bike. If your business has been looking for a way to give back, this is a pretty great one.

Because every bike that rolls through the doors at Kim's Diner has one destination in mind.

Waiting under a Christmas tree for a kid who probably isn't expecting it!

As Christmas Wish gears up for its 50th season, take a look back at 2025 in photos.