Annual Wish for Wheels FOCO Program Brings Hundreds of New Bikes to Second-Graders

This fall, Bike Fort Collins, in partnership with its peer organization, Wish For Wheels, has a goal to bring a new bike and helmet to every second-grader in Poudre School District’s Title 1 schools as part of the 3^rd Annual Wish for Wheels FoCo program, and the community’s support is needed to make it happen. Each new bike and helmet has a program cost of $150 and can be funded individually, or by businesses or organizations at any quantity. Funding 25-bikes enables a donor to sponsor an entire second-grade class, while a 65-bike commitment sponsors and funds an entire school. The bikes often last each second-grader for up to 3-years of use before growing out of them.

The two partner nonprofits, in conjunction with the continued support from one of the founding program sponsors, YourGroupRide.com, are seeking partners to help fund and deliver over 300 bikes and helmets to every second-grader at Bauder, Irish, Harris, Laurel, and Putnam Elementary Schools. The assembly and delivery of the bikes to the second-graders will take place on October 12, commencing with a session to assemble bikes first thing in the morning at Bauder Elementary School. This will be paralleled by a similar assembly session at Putnam Elementary School, followed by giving the bikes away.

Businesses interested in funding bikes should contact Dave Dixon at [email protected], while the broader community can also support individually by funding bikes at www.bikefortcollins.org/wish-for-wheels-foco. We want to especially thank the following businesses who have and continue to sponsor the program at a level that supports an entire second-grade class: New Belgium Brewing Company, Waterpik, Poudre River Power Authority, Van Meveren Law Group, Intel, and Neenan Archistruction, while Cushman & Wakefield and Norris Design are each supporting with ten or more bikes.

In addition to sponsorship support, YourGroupRide.com is leading a Team Challenge, which is a contest among area bike teams and clubs to see which organization can fund the most bikes. The victor will join the first-year winner, Team BOB, and last year’s winners, Poudre Sunrise Cyclists, and RSD Racing. “Last year the local cycling team and club community rallied to support over 100 bikes and helmets. We’re excited to continue the contest this year and are optimistic we can set a new bar and exceed the record number of bikes from 2021,” said Dan Porter, Founder of YourGroupRide.com. “We invite and encourage the broader community to join the effort and donate to fund bikes and helmets as well.”

 “We couldn’t be more excited and appreciative of how this program has been received by not only the community in its support of funding bikes, but the schools, from the principals to teachers, to—of course—the students,” added Dave Dixon of Bike Fort Collins. “We believe that the earlier we can introduce kids to bicycling, the higher the probability of them honing not just a life skill, but establishing a lifelong habit.” Dixon continued.

Located in one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country, Bike Fort Collins (BFC) is a growing bicycle advocacy, and active transportation 501(c)(3), delivering on four primary programs, as well as a number of other advocacy initiatives and events. These programs include Safe Routes to School (a partnership with the City of Fort Collins to deliver bike safety education to Poudre School District students), the Bicycle Friendly Business Network, support of the Fort Collins Bike Share program, and its Active Living initiative to promote inclusion and access to active transportation in marginalized and distressed communities in Northern Colorado. To learn more, visit www.bikefortcollins.org, or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin.

Based in Denver, Wish for Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that gives brand-new bicycles and helmets to second-graders in low-income, Title 1 schools. Founded in 2004, their first giveaway made it clear that the bikes bring health and happiness into kids’ lives. Their unique model bundles corporate philanthropy, team building, and employee engagements through bike build/assembly events, to deliver brand-new bikes and helmets to second-graders in the community. To learn more, visit www.wishforwheels.org.

YourGroupRide.com (aka YGR) is a cycling news website based in Fort Collins, CO that unites the Northern Colorado cycling scene by keeping riders informed about the latest news, rides, races, and other events. YGR conducts local rider interviews, local cyclist bike reviews, and other features such as 10 Tracks and Gear Reviews. Behind the scenes, they work with Bike Fort Collins, Overland Mountain Bike Association, and FC Moves/FC Bikes on advocacy initiatives to make Fort Collins an even better and safer place to ride. With the support of local businesses, they’ve been covering the NoCo cycling scene since 2009. Visit www.yourgroupride.com, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.