Natomas Cares: 50 Kids Get 50 New Bikes

THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz

The North Natomas Transportation Management Association held their second annual 50 Bikes for 50 Kids event today in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the National Day of Service.

More than 200 volunteers from local businesses, community organizations, bike enthusiasts and mechanical novices came together to build bikes alongside 50 north Natomas youth who later took them home. The daylong event was held at Natomas Middle School.

“This event is much more than just building bicycles,” said North Natomas TMA executive director Becky Heieck. “At the core, this event is about mentorship – the volunteers mentoring the youth, and the bike mechanics mentoring the volunteers.”

The 50 bike recipients were nominated by local youth organizations and schools for demonstrating trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Fifty teams of volunteers attended workshops hosted by Natomas Bike Shop on how to build a bike to prepare for the event.

Once the bikes were built, they were road tested on the school campus. Recipients were also fitted with a new bicycle helmet, registered their new rides with the Sacramento Police Department and trained how to lock their bikes as well as load them onto the North Natomas TMA’s Flyer shuttle. Bike locks were also provided to each bicycle recipient.

Said Heieck, “At the end of the day, we want everyone leaving happy and inspired, and maybe a few more people in in the world who know a thing or two (more) about bicycles.”