Project gives kids chance to earn bikes

When the thermometer outside hits 65 degrees, I take my bike off the rack and pump up the tires. On a sunny day, nothing is better than a bike ride around the neighborhood or to the park. I’m 26 years old now, but I’ve felt this way since I captained that first tricycle.

Thanks to Santa and my family, I always had a bike growing up. Unfortunately, not everyone who wants a bike has one as a kid. But that’s what makes one of our projects this week special.

On Tuesday, volunteers from Goodrich’s Environmental, Health and Safety Department purchased and assembled 10 new mountain bikes. Through Trips For Kids Charlotte, kids in at-risk neighborhoods will have the opportunity to earn a free bike in exchange for completing lessons in bike mechanics and safety.

From that first tricycle to the hybrid hanging on my wall, bikes have always fed a sense of freedom and independence in me. Thank you to Goodrich and Trips For Kids Charlotte for giving some kids the chance to earn that feeling.