Students are riding high at McArthur School in northwest Edmonton after a charity donated 57 refurbished bikes — and new helmets — this week.
“When we were outside just playing, I was playing soccer, and then I just saw the truck filled with bikes and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, the bikes are here!'” Grade 3 student Yahia El-Gabbour told CBC’s Radio Active. “I feel so amazing.”
Radio Active5:00Free bikes from Sport Central bring joy
We head out to McArthur School where 57 refurbished bikes were dropped off for some very happy students.
The bikes were delivered Thursday by Sport Central, which operates across Edmonton and northern Alberta. Through volunteers, the charity repairs, recycles and redistributes donated sporting equipment to kids in need.
‘The power of sport’
Sport Central teamed up with the school to identify students who would benefit from a bike, and connect with families for information and consent. The gear was collected from more than 30 drop-off locations across the city.
“We get well over 3,000 bikes a year,” said Karst Bakker, logistics co-ordinator with Sport Central. “All donated from Edmontonians.”
McArthur School teacher Michele Burzminski helped to co-ordinate the delivery with parents and Sport Central.
“It’s about the power of sport,” Burzminski said.
“We know healthy kids are happy kids. Happy kids enjoy school.”
Eleven-year-old Tabasum Sayed Zada was thrilled to receive her new bike in the school gym. A Grade 6 student who came to Edmonton from Afghanistan, she hasn’t had wheels of her own since moving to Canada.
“I am so happy because bikes keep me healthy,” she said. “I can finally play with my brother, it’s really exciting.”
Tabasum was fitted for her new ride, a silver bike with purple rims — her favourite colour. She planned to ride home from school with her friends that day.
“When my friends are happy,” she said, “it means I’m happy.”
Bakker, who spent the day unloading, fitting and setting kids up with new bikes, says the opportunity to drop the donations off in person makes is his favourite part of the role.
“It’s amazing to see all the smiles, hearing them talk to each other saying, ‘Oh I think this is mine,'” he said.
“It’s incredibly rewarding.”
