Dozens of volunteers in Longmont, Colorado, get together to build 43 bikes to donate to kids to encourage them to get out and ride. The entire first grade class at Northridge Elementary School was given a free new bicycle and helmet thanks to a collaboration between Longmont nonprofits Can’d Aid and The Braly Family Foundation. The program, called Treads + Trails, has a mission to get kids off screens and out in the great outdoors.
The night before the giveaway, dozens of volunteers gathered to have a beer and put the bikes together for the surprise. Can’d Aid ambassador Mike Murfitt says he is excited to pass on the positive associations he has with riding a bike. “My first feeling of freedom as a kid that I can remember is getting on my bike and riding away from my family,” Murfitt says. “Being able to give a kid that experience is pretty unique.”
Organizers of the project say they hope the bikes will inspire the kids to get outside and will give them valuable life skills. “COVID has forced so many students to go on screens, and if you’re in your home, hopefully this provides an outlet for energy,” says Toni Picket with the Braly Family Foundation. “I think it’s great to give them an opportunity to learn something that they can do for life.”
Source: The Denver Channel
Comments