Family life
today differs greatly from when most of us were
children. Most of us remember when it was not
necessary that both parents work to make ends meet.
Our fathers worked and our mothers were home taking
care of the children. Children back then felt the
love and security of the family unit. Unfortunately,
more than half of today's marriages end in divorce
and the children exist in a household of only one
parent and one income. The end result is that the
children suffer. Why?--because the family must use
the money that does exist on basic necessities such
as food and shelter.
Christmas is
that time of the year when the weakened financial
condition of the family is felt the most. Many
children in our communities will have no Christmas at
all ---NONE!!!
In 1987, an
organization was founded in Naples, Florida. The
total objective of this organization is to give the
underprivileged children of Naples -children who
would have nothing - a Christmas present for this
most important of all holidays.
Please, think
for a moment of the most impacting present you
received as a child.. It was probably a BIKE!. With
this wonderful device your world suddenly became
larger. It was now possible not only to visit a
friend down the block but you could also go to other
neighborhoods or even as far as across town! It also
made for you the opportunity to have a job or a paper
route for the extra money to buy those childhood
necessities - like baseball cards, bubble gum, and
Barbie doll clothes. But today, in all too many
cases, this money must go towards puffing food on the
table or to help with family bills.
Thus, BIKES
FOR TYKES had it's conception. The first child was
Joshua, age 6. His name was on a "paper
angel" at a local restaurant that was trying to
help some local, underprivileged children have a
Christmas they would not otherwise have. Joshua
received his reconditioned bike and the BIKES FOR
TYKES program was born. Since then, close to 2000
children have received a bright and shiny
reconditioned bicycle.
Every
community has a surplus of old bikes discarded every
day. These can very easily be revitalized and put
back into our neighborhoods. At BIKES FOR TYKES,
INC., in Naples, Florida, we sand away the old paint;
then primer and repaint the bikes with the current
popular colors. We strip the rust from old wheels,
replace the old worn tires, pedals, grips and
anything else which will make the bike safe and new
looking again. BIKES FOR TYKES has become one of the
truest forms of "recycling."
With a number
of years of trial and error under out belts, we can
help you and/or your organization "recycle"
these old, rusted and discarded bikes into a bike any
youngster would love to have for an average of $20.00
per bike. We can help you to do the restoration
correctly, so the bicycle will not only be attractive
but safe as well. We can also help you with ways to
obtain the raw bikes from sources in your community
and to buy parts at the lowest possible prices, far
below the discount store prices (i.e., tires that
sell for $8.00 in stores for as low as $3.00.)
O.K, you have
had the pitch - now for the "hook." How
Much?????? The answer is NOTHING! Nothing but the
desire to make some less fortunate child extremely
happy. If you have that desire in your club or
organization to undertake a project such as this, we
will work with you and share information about where
and how to get your raw bikes, help you to order
parts at the lowest prices available, as well as a
listing of tools and equipment we have found useful.
Soon you, too,
will be working with Santa making a difference where
you live. Bikes for Tykes, Inc. will be glad to aid
you in transforming rusted, useless and forgotten
bicycles into a twinkle in a young child's eye, and a
very warm feeling in your heart.
