What’s Right With Our Schools: White Oak Bicycle Co-op
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Few things bring more joy to a child than a bicycle. For 5 years, White Oak Bicycle has been giving free bicycles to school age children, and some adults, who might otherwise have to do without. That’s a healthy example of “What’s Right With Our Schools.”
“Welcome to White Oak Bicycle Co-op. White Oak Bicycle Co-op is a 501c3 nonprofit community bicycle organization. Uh so all that means is is we do free bikes and free education for kids and then free bikes for transportation for people with without access to personal automobiles,” Ben Richards, Operations Director/Head Mechanic, White Oak Bicycle CO-OP said.
“So, every Monday night we do a volunteer shop night. We get 15 to 20 mechanic volunteers, skilled mechanic volunteers, and they fix every single bike that comes through our doors. So, we we don’t send a bike out if it’s not clean and safe,” Richards said.
“I think it’s I think it’s great. I think every kid should be able to explore via bike um no matter what. It’s just it gives you a sense of belonging. It gives you a sense of exploration and it it really just opens up an entire world to you that you really can’t get any other way,” James Rein, White Oak Bicycle CO-OP volunteer said.
“So, we do a few things with the schools. We do some some PE courses where we’ll go into the school for a week and and we’ll do how to bike um if if the kids don’t know how to ride or just some some fun fun bike activities for the kids in the PE programs. We also have done uh earn a bike programs where we’ll go in and teach kids how to bike and then they they get a free bike at the end of it. It’s our every kid deserves a bike program. So, we want every kid on a bike and that starts in the school. If they don’t know how to bike, a school is a great opportunity to teach them how to ride. Um, bikes are kind of expensive, so a lot of times schools can’t afford them. So, we’ll go in and we’ll put in a fleet for the PE teachers to use. That way they can teach them how to bike, teach them the how to safely ride on the roads and stuff,” Rein said.
“We’re hoping to maintain the partnership with them and so that every year that they can come back and teach all of our second grade students how to ride bikes so that in the future we can slowly start to incorporate bike riding into our school day at Calvin Donaldson. We want to encourage more healthy habits kind of like Annie was talking collaboration, teamwork, fine motor skills, things that you know we are we need more practice on,” Katie Gruendler, 2nd Grade Teacher, Calvin Donaldson said.
“We have a lot of skill deficits here with um friendship making and keeping friends as well as making sure we can ac access um like academics in the classroom. So, I think it’s going to be a really good way to help teach them how to use kind words um both that and then also get energy out so they can be more successful in the room,” Annie Paden, Behavioral Interventionist, Calvin Donaldson said.
“Lowering that that cost for entry down to zero or parents can come to one of our our big giveaways and and get a bike maybe as a Christmas present, maybe just for fun. Uh to get that kid outside to get them rolling, get them physically active. Uh that’s that’s huge for me and I love that. We’re doing a big kids bike giveaway December 13th from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and then there’s a Christmas parade right after. We’re trying to give away a 100 kids bikes. So if you need a bike, come on by and get one. will be over at the Red Bank City Park. If you have a bike that you’re not using, feel free to look up our website, white oak bicycle.org. We’d love to use that bike to help the kids, help people who need to get to where they need to go. Uh we’ll put that bike to good use,” Rein said.
