BOISE, Idaho — The holiday kids' bike giveaway is a special day as it concludes a year worth of work by the Boise Bicycle Project, hard working volunteers and the community who donates their old bikes to this cause.
"It’s such a big community ask from the start to the finish," said Devin McComas of the Boise Bicycle Project. "We are asking for 700 bicycles to be donated and they were, we are asking for volunteer support for months and we get it and we are asking for additional support once a car crashes into our building and it shows up. Today is the day we get to take our foot off the gas and celebrate with everybody."
For many of these kids this will be their very first bicycle and while any kid in the community can utilize this program. A large amount of refugee kids from other countries get a bike and freedom on two wheels.
"Refugees are not familiar with the community and they want to stay home," said Wais-Mohammad Arab or the International Rescue Committee. "They have nothing to do, they just want to go back and forth to school, but once they have the bike they have the opportunity to go outside ride bikes and meet new friends."
The bike giveaway also shows these children that people can and the community cares. It all happens because of this non-profit that has been going strong for 16 years.
"I really appreciate what they are doing for the people and the community," said Arab. "This is really great and we can encourage the new generation to learn how to be kind and how they have to support each other."
Volunteers worked up until the deadline on Friday evening to finish the bicycles. The program starts with children drawing their dream bike and then the volunteers do their best to make the kid's wish come true.
After all the hard work everyone comes together for a block party where kids get helmets, locks and get to meet people in the community. It's one of the best days of the year for the Boise Bicycle Project and these kids.
"It’s incredible to see a kid get their bike and you know they are going to ride it into the ground, hopefully we will get another touch on it in five months and fix it up for them," said McComas. "It is a feeling that is hard to describe, I’m at a loss for words."
People can donate their old bikes at anytime during the year and if you feel like helping out after a car crashed through the building here in the link to the Boise Bicycle Project's website.
