Helping hands
are still needed for local Bikes For Tykes program
by Kaydee Tuff
Although
the age of the Bikes For Tykes workers has dropped
since last season, organizer Skip Riffle says
experienced hands are still needed to assist. Riffle
established the bicycle restoration program 11 years
ago to provide bicycles for needy youngsters in
Collier County. This year, Riffle and his senior
'elves' are taking part in the Helping Hands project,
a community service program for juvenile offenders.
"The kids fix up bikes for other kids in need
and they have a good time doing it," Riffle
says. "They're parents have a good time, too.
Some of the kids continue to show up even after their
six months are up."
Helping
Hands is a community service program through the
Juvenile Justice system. The idea is to take troubled
teens and their parents and get them into a program
where they can learn as well as pay off their debt to
society. It takes a special person to take on such
kids and Riffle is well-suited to the task. He keeps
a weekly journal on the program and the progress of
each participant. The information updates the teens'
counselors as well provides a written account for
assessing progress.
Since
participating in the program, Riffle says Bikes For
Tykes has had a good success rate with its Helping
Hands participants. "Only two have gone on to
bigger and better crimes," he says. "Two
have been successful and another four have better
relationships with their parents (than when they
started the program). Thats a 60 percent success
rate. I'll take that."
While
serving at Bikes For Tykes, located next to Cheers on
the East Trail, teens are required to be accompanied
by a parent or guardian. Riffle sets up a work area
for each participant and assigns projects as their
skills merit. Many come into the program with some
mechanical skills, others learn as they go along. At
the conclusion of the six-month commitment, each teen
gets to reconstruct a bicycle for himself. So far all
participants have been boys.
Riffle's
senior elves, Bill Wise and Bob Faist, continue to
put in countless hours each year, rejuvenating bikes
for 150-175 needy youngsters each Christmas. They
also work with the Helping Hands participants,
handing down their skills to the teens.
Not
all of Riffle's young elves have been in trouble with
the law. Eddy Maxius, a student at Lely High School,
asked his school counselor to help him find a
community service project. He ended up at Bikes For
Tykes and Riffle says he is delighted with the extra
pair of willing hands. "He's great," he
says of Maxius, who came to the U.S. from Haiti two
years ago. "He relates well with the other kids
and he's here because he wants to be - they think
that's neat." It has not been an easy year for
Riffle. The shop has been broken into several times
and some of the more expensive bikes and valuable
tools were stolen. In response, he had to put bars on
the shop windows.
Regardless,
Riffles' program continues to expand its involvement
in the community, assisting with bike rodeos and bike
programs. By attending bicycle trade shows, he has
acquired some good contacts for sample supplies and
tools. He also assisted the Golden Gate Kiwanis Club
in repairing several adult tricycles used by
handicapped persons.
Overall,
he is pleased with the growth of what began as a
single response to a young boy's Christmas wish. In
1987, he and a friend plucked a paper angel from a
McDonald's Christmas tree. They couldn't afford to
fulfill the child's wish for a new bike, but they
could renovate a used one to look as good as new.
Since that first request, Riffle and his elves have
ensured a brighter Christmas for over 2,000 Collier
County needy youngsters.
For
more information or to assist with the Bikes For
Tikes program, call Riffle at 941-774-5846.
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| Bikes for Tykes
organizer Skip Riffle kneels beside a 1960's
Schwinn Phantom he recently restored. Since
forming the group 12 years ago, Riffle and
volunteers have refurbished over 2,000 bikes
for needy children in Collier County. |
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