Bike giveaway happening today in Plymouth

MARSHALL COUNTY, Ind. – One local organization in Plymouth is getting bikes into the hands of children.

Bikes for Kids is giving free bicycles to children in the community on April 3 at Centennial Park at the Freyman Pavillion starting at noon.

The Bikes for Kids president, Mike Sage said the idea for Bikes for Kids started two years ago with his grandson after he received a new bike.

“He had an old bike, and we asked him what you want to do with that old bike. And he said, we’d like to donate it to, he’d like to donate it to a needy child,” said Mike Sage. “So, he gave us the idea of perhaps we could do something greater than us.”

And so began Bikes for Kids. Sage along with others started raising money and taking donations to buy new bikes and refurbish used ones with some help from four local bike mechanics.

Last year, the organization gave away over 100 bikes to kids in need. This year they’ve more than doubled that number. Sage said the mission of Bikes for Kids is to get bikes into the hands of kids who otherwise couldn’t have one.

“We have to find out what the need is in the surrounding counties, and we have to establish what the market is per se. We believe there are 1,500 children in this general market area that we’re working on,” Sage said. “And at the Indiana poverty rate of 12 percent, we think there is about somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 hundred children that might benefit from this.

Over 200 Bikes will be given out to children. Sage along with his team will load up a semi-truck with all 241 bikes, and 200 helmets that have been donated from the pediatrics unit at St. Joe Medical Center.

They’re also donating one modified bike for special needs, kids, at St. Joe Medical Center that will benefit up to six kids.

Families who are on assistance or snap benefits will have priority and in order to receive a bike, all children must be present.

Sage says the best part about giving these kids bikes is the looks on their faces.

“A bike in the hands of a child that could not have one. I know that there is a lot of kids out there without bikes and it's important to do what we can and put a bike in their hands,” Sage said.

Food will also be provided to help feed up to 500 families with help from Blissville Church.

If you want to donate a bike to a kid next year go to http://bikesforkids.net/