A Phys Ed teacher at Forest Glen School in Moncton .feels that every child should have a bike of their own.
For the past five years, Krista Richard has run a program that ensures that every student at the school, has one.
“I just think every child should be able to get on a bike, have that freedom to go through the trails and just explore. It is the best physical activity, and it helps mentally. You get on your bike, and you have a problem. You go biking for an hour and then you solve the problem, or you come back and you realize that wasn’t as big as you first thought,” Richard says.
The schools is looking for donations of gently used bikes, “We compile a list of students, based on responses from the parents, of which students do not have a bike. We then ask the community for donations of gently used bikes. So far this year, we have handed out 60 bicycles.”
Doing this for the children is very gratifying, “The smiles on their faces, makes it all worthwhile. One mom came in and was shocked that we were giving her a free bike. They had just come from Nigeria two weeks ago, and she tanked me and thanked me. The child as well, was just beaming,” Richard says.
She was also shocked to hear that some donors have come forward without bikes, and have made monetary donations instead.
Forest Glen School is the only Anglophone East School that has a program like this.
If you have a gently used bicycle you would like to donate, you can drop it off at the school, or contact Krista Richard via Facebook. She is also able to make arrangements to pick up bikes, if you are unable to drop it off.
