BOISE, Idaho — The Boise Bicycle Project held its 14th annual Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway Saturday.
This year, the non-profit gave away 420 bikes to children and will also deliver 100 more bikes to the Fort Hall and Duck Valley Native American reservations.
"For so many of these kids, it is their first bicycle," said Jimmy Hallyburton, Executive Director of the Boise Bicycle Project. "Every single one of them gets referred to us through a non-profit, a counselor, a teacher or a social worker. These are the kids that need bikes the most."
It was a Christmas miracle that BBP was able to give away so many bikes this year. The organization takes donated bikes and refurbishes them into brand new bicycles, but because of the pandemic, they couldn't work in the shop. Instead, volunteers built bikes in their own garages, local bike shops chipped in to help, and the community came together to help children during the holidays.
"For everybody who has been involved, it is a big day for them as well because they know during this hard, impossible year we created something beautiful, we created hope," said Hallyburton.
The Boise Bicycle Project spaced out the event over a two-block area and made it into a drive-thru with volunteers handing out treats and coffee, cold weather gear, and in the end, children walked away with a new bike.
"I'm proud of all the volunteers, proud of all these kids, and just excited for what a hopeful 2021 looks like for them riding around on two wheels," said Hallyburton. "It almost brings me to tears. It is an amazing day for everybody."
