ALL OF THESE bikes have been checked and were waiting to be brought to The Bike Connector’s store in Lowell following the April 8 event at the Little School. (Courtesy Photo)
NORTH READING — Not wanting to throw away perfectly fine bikes students have outgrown, the Little School PTO reached out to The Bike Connector, a nonprofit that fixes and gifts bikes to those who need them, and held a bike drive on Saturday, April 8. The bikes were donated to their shop in Lowell.
The Bike Connector takes in bikes of any condition, fixes them, shines them, and ensures they are safe. Then they give them to anyone – a child that cannot afford a bike, a teen needing to get to school (the Lowell schools do not have yellow buses), and even adults that need transportation. They even provide a helmet!
The response from the Little School community was overwhelming, according to Alyse Bonfiglio, the parent of a first-grader, Brad, who took the volunteer experience to heart. “He was overjoyed by his school friends bringing bike after bike after bike. We expected 17 bikes. We got 67! It was such an overwhelming feeling of everyone’s generosity. The way the kids wanted to give their old bikes was so touching. We could not have asked for a better outcome,” Alyse said.
There is also a second component to this story – an all-school assembly was held the day before the bike drive during which Bike Connector volunteer Wade discussed the importance of bike safety with the students utilizing “Safe Routes to School,” a program of the Department of Transportation geared toward kids. They also discussed the importance of community service and giving back.
“Our principal, Mrs. Chris Molle, was so supportive and wanted this amazing opportunity for the students,” Alyse said, adding, “The Little School kids loved the assembly! They all could not wait to help the next day for the bike drive.”