A Boy and His Bike

Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE used things!  Used furniture.  Used cars.  I mean heck – the outfit I have on right now is almost entirely USED CLOTHING!

But I do believe that there are some things in life that it is nice to experience NEW.  And one of those things is a shiny new bicycle.

That’s why when I saw a social worker from a local school post in a Facebook group recently that she was she hunting for a used bike for a student who had outgrown his, I knew Kindness Activist money needed to jump in!  If the boy needed a bike, the boy deserved a NEW BIKE!

I contacted the social worker and we worked out a plan.  She asked the boy’s mom for bike details (size and favorite colors) and also asked an extra question – favorite snack (cuz if you are going to ride a shiny new bike, you are going to get hungry!).

I know nothing about bikes, so I reached out to Bayley, a neighbor who (in my mind) is a bike expert.  He and his wife bike all the time.  They can often be seen with their sweet little daughter in a big cart, biking along.  Bayley even hauls furniture and other bulky items by bike!  He rocks.

I found a bicycle online that I thought looked good and ran it by Bayley, who approved.  He reminded me that any kid with a bike also needs:  a lock, a pump with a gauge, and a helmet.  And Bayley offered to come over and work with the boy, Jaden, to put the bike together when it arrived (and teach him how to do it)!!  I was so excited!  (I also realized that any super cool kid with a bike also needs lights to put on the spokes of the wheels!!)  So, I ordered everything, plus some vitamins that Jaden’s mom said he takes.

BIKE DAY finally arrived!!!  I had wrapped the other gifts, but the bike box was too big to wrap (plus, he knew he was getting that part!).  Jaden brought 2 of his buddies and his mom with him and we had a fun time!!  There was the big “unboxing” of the bike, unwrapping of the gifts, then a little craft project until Bayley arrived.  Then the 2 bike guys went to town! 

It was so sweet seeing Bayley on the porch, showing Jaden where to put screws, letting him screw it all together, grease the bits that needed greasing, etc.  At one point, Jaden came over to the table where his friends and mom were working on a project for me and whispered to his mother, “Mom, when the bike is all finished, can I RIDE IT HOME???”.  He was so excited!!  His mom said that sadly, no, the roads were too busy and he wasn’t experienced on the bike yet, so riding home wouldn’t be possible.

A proud Jaden and Mom

Well, leave it to Bayley…  He offered to RIDE HOME WITH JADEN!  Turns out they live close to one another.  So once the bike was ready and all of the other gifts had been packed in the car, the two bikers pedaled off.  It was a great afternoon, and I think Jaden will spend many summer hours riding that shiny new bike.

 

Off they go!!

Kindness Activist funds used:  $386.38

A Facebook friend reached out recently and explained that she was trying to help another woman escape an abusive relationship.  Abuse has skyrocketed since Covid – these long periods of being in enclosed spaces together, many people losing their jobs, and money being tight has been hard on many couples.  So, relationships that were abusive before are even worse now, and this woman really needed help. 

These situations are not something you can “fund raise” for in public, either.  Abused partners often need to sneak away very quietly and quickly, so as not to be traced and re-abused.  It is horrible.

I was glad that my friend knew Kindness Activist was a safe place to reach out to, and happily donated $300 to the complete the fund that was needed to get the person to safety.

I do not know the woman who needed assistance, but I know other people in abusive relationships.  It is such a tangled, complex web - it must feel impossible to leave sometimes.  But if you are in an unsafe situation, there are resources to help.  If you need help, please visit https://www.thehotline.org/ (from a public computer, not your own, to protect your browsing history) or call them at 1-800-799-7233 (1-800-787-3224 for TTY users). 

Kindness Activist funds used:  $300