Along for the Ride: Bike Program Teaches Skills and Fitness

Wouldn’t this make a little guy happy on Christmas morning? This bicycle is for ages 3 to 6. There are plenty of bicycles for adults and children and they are all in great condition.

Courtesy photo

LANSING, MI —  The mission of the Kids Repair Program is to provide positive experiences and educational opportunities in bicycle safety, repair, maintenance and biking as healthy exercise in the tri-county area.

 

Curt “Grandad” Eure started the Kids Repair Program  in 1995 while working with Lansing north side youth. He discovered the kids were losing their bikes to theft and neglect. He thought the solution was to teach the kids responsibility through bike ownership safety and maintenance. The initial funding came out of Eure’s pocket but he soon pulled together a strong network of supporters. 

 

In 1998 the Kids Repair Program found a home at the Impression 5 Science Center. However the program continued to show steady growth and the need for more room. In 2005, the program relocated to its current Alfreda Schmidt Southside Community Center headquarters.

 

For many of the children and parents who participate in the programs and services provided offer so much more to their quality of life.

 

The Kids Repair Program is a 501C3, non-profit organization teaching bike safety, repair and maintenance to students 9-17 years of age. 

 

They offer week long classes where their volunteers and students each tear down a bike, put it back together and repair it. After the class the students get to keep their bike, a helmet, lock and key and receive a certificate of graduation.

 

Kids Repair Program is completely volunteer run and depends on the support and interaction of the community. They are proud to partner with Michigan AmeriCorps  and other organizations to ensure greater community involvement and connection.

 

During the summer of 2012, they had 58 students go through the bike program.  The students were able to take home the bikes they learned on.  It is a great way to teach children the value of taking care of their own property and knowing how to fix it  if it becomes inoperable.

 

Kids Repair Program also creates relationships with other programs and academic instititutions.  In February of 2012, the program donated a BMX bike to the Michigan State University Public Relations Student Society Bateman Team.  It was a great collaboration since the Bateman Team was working on the Fit in the Mitten campaign.  Michigan was the 10th most obese state in the country. It is time for people to invest in their health and what better way than bicycling.  

 

This was printed in the December 16, 2012 – December 29, 2012 Edition