Surprise Bike Giveaway Changes 3 Lives
LAKEWOOD, Colo (CBS4) – Getting a bike as a kid is a memorable experience, but for some adults it can be life changing. The program, Way to Go, came together for some Coloradans who needed a lift.
Michael Williams was presented with a brand new bike, which will help him get around.
"I'm two, maybe three, blocks from the new VA, so I'm going to start using the VA facility as a stay connected deal," Williams told CBS4.
Williams is a veteran and experienced homelessness for about 20 years, having a bike is a key step to helping him regain his health.
"The VA, a thing they say, 'Stay Connected,' meaning that if I stay closer to the VA, I can be connected to something," Williams explained.
"It provides people a connection to their community, to their city, and to the environment; and, more importantly, it's a healthy way to get you where you need to go reliably," said Celeste David Stragand, with Way to Go.
Way to Go worked with bike shops, like Golden Bear Bikes, to make these dreams come true.
"They say when a kid gets his first bike, it's a magical experience," said Frank Cassella, owner of Golden Bear Bikes.
In Aurora, Frederick Nduguru also got a free bike. The 74-year-old refugee recently relocated here from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nduguru has felt isolated by his lack of transportation. Way to Go hopes this gift will help him adjust to his new homeland.
"This is going to help him. He can go for English class in the morning," said Georgette Mabi, of the Colorado African Organization, who helped translate for Nduguru.
The third recipient of a free bike was Zecchaeah Willaims, also of Aurora. She is working several steps to sobriety and a bike will help her stay on the road to recovery.
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"People have the opportunity to get to their doctors' appointments, to increase their wellness, they have the ability to take a job, if they need to, and to actually start providing for themselves and their families, and really that step forward to become productive citizens of our society," Davis Stragand explained.
LINK: Bike to Work Day
Way to Go is hosting Bike to Work Day on Wednesday, June 27th, as a way to get more Coloradans to experiment with biking for their commute.