“Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together.” -Vesta Kelly
One of our Managing Partners, Ray, offers this heartwarming story. Recently, he delivered Bike Build charitable programs for two large corporate groups back-to-back in New Orleans and then in Philadelphia. (Needless to say, as one of our most experienced and busiest Lead Facilitators, Ray has a huge number of frequent flier miles!) At both these events, once the participants were surprised by the arrival of the kids who would be the bicycle recipients, at Ray’s instruction the team members adjusted the height of the seat and handle bars for each child.
Then the real magic began. For most of the kids, this would be their first bike ever, or at least their first without training wheels, so they were excited beyond words but did not actually know how to ride. The teams began to teach the children, patiently and carefully, and within a half hour many were zipping around the room with pure joy.
“It was amazing to see it,” Ray reports, recalling the moments when these deserving recipients, helmets firmly fastened, balanced on their own and rode free. “I get a lot out of seeing it right in front of my eyes.” We know that the teams who create the bikes during the program, as well as the kids who receive them, absolutely get a lot of out it too!
