Monday evening the Plymouth Park Board approved free use of the Freymen Shelter in Centennial Park for the Bikes For Kids event this yes. Bikes For Kids, Inc., is a Northern Indiana based 501(C)3 non-profit organization, geared toward helping kids ride into a happier, healthier childhood by providing bikes to those most in need. They collect and refurbish bikes with the help of volunteers and give them away on Easter Weekend, the start of the riding season.
This year the event will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, April 3rd, (with a rain date of April 10th) at the Freymen Shelter by the tennis courts at Centennial Park in Plymouth. Not only will they be giving away 200 bicycles, but they will serve a hot lunch at the event, consisting of hot dogs, chips and bottled water.
There are several rules to getting a bike, first – there will be no bikes given away prior to 12:00 noon EST as this is a first come, first served event. Second – Families with EBT/SNAP/TANF/Hoosier Works cards will receive first priority. Third – All children must be present to receive a bicycle, no exceptions. Fourth – Parents or guardians must sign a waiver and release of liability form. Fifth – Bike sizes will be matched to the child by local Certified Bicycling Instructors. Sixth – All kids from Marshall and surrounding counties are invited to attend the event.
There are several ways the community can support this event:
Purchase a new kid’s bike. Just purchase a bike from the online store and Bikes for Kids will pick it from the local Walmart at a pre-negotiated price. You can donate a gently used bicycle to Bikes for Kids. They will clean and repair the bike and make it look like new or you can volunteer your time to clean, assemble and repair bikes. Bikes for Kids will also need volunteers to help the day of the event.
All donations to Bikes For Kids, Inc. are tax deductible.
Bikes For Kids highly recommend wearing a bicycle helmet for personal safety when riding and St. Joseph Health Center in Plymouth has committed 200 helmets for the Easter weekend event. For more information about this event, please contact Bikes For Kids, Inc., at (574) 221-5688, email
info@bikesforkids.net or our co-sponsors, The Integrity Academy of Martial Arts at (574) 316-2559 or Blissville Church of the Brethren (574) 936-8085.
