Back in late summer Bike Fort Collins announced the continuation and a 2nd year of Wish for Wheels FoCo, in partnership with fellow nonprofit, Wish for Wheels, to bring a new bike and helmet to every second-grader in each of Poudre School District’s (PSD) six Title 1 schools. We funded nearly 260 of our 400 bike goal in 2020, and were seeking the same goal again this year–so every second-grader at Bauder, Irish, Harris, Laurel, Linton and Putnam Elementary Schools could each receive a bike and helmet set.
Well, we’re happy to report, through the continued and generous support of many of our inaugural year sponsors, including YourGroupRide and VeloFix, VanMeveren Law Group, HP, Inc., and Westminster Presbyterian Church, plus new sponsors like Platte River Power Authority, Neenan Archistruction, Intel and Norris Design Group, 352 bikes were funded for the six (6) Title 1 schools. Read about it here too on PSD’s website, and as featured in their PSD Now newsletter.
Once again, the Fort Collins area cycling team/club community held a contest to see who could raise the most money and this year Poudre Sunrise Cyclists took home the prize–mostly bragging rights–for the most money raised, while, RSD Racing won for the most on a per capita basis relative to each team/club’s size. Poudre Sunrise Cyclists’ 60+ members funded over 40 bikes totaling nearly $6,200 and RSD’s 16 members funded nearly 21 bikes (or 130% relative to its size).
Following an event on October 10th at New Belgium Brewing’s Liquid Center Plaza where volunteers from the aforementioned sponsors and cycling club/teams took part in assembling the bikes and readying them for delivery to the schools, we worked with PSD’s Department of Language Culture & Equity to help coordinate distribution of the bikes. Unlike last year, where we simply had to drop the bikes off for kids to pick up due to social distancing protocols, this year we were able to fit each student with their bike and helmet to ensure they took them home ready to ride as safely as possible.
BIKE ASSEMBLY
Many thanks to all the volunteers who came out to help assemble all the bikes.
BIKE DELIVERY
And many more thanks to all the volunteers who then came out to help us deliver the bikes to the students (some of whom had also helped on the assembly day).
THANK YOUS
We’re also so appreciative and grateful to see how thankful the students have been, having received many thank you notes like these below.
And, a final huge thank you to the following business sponsors, supporters, and clubs/teams.
Leave a comment below, or email us at info@bikefortcollins.org if you or someone you know is interested in sponsoring bikes next year.