Jack the Bike Man provides bikes to 37 Wee Wheel Grads

Children from Escuelita Maya celebrate completing a six-week learn-to-ride program before receiving refurbished bicycles from Jack the Bike Man. [Photo courtesy of Jack the Bike Man]

Thirty-seven children from Escuelita Maya, a program of the Guatemalan-Maya Center, are heading home with new confidence and their own bicycles after completing a six-week learn-to-ride program.

Jack the Bike Man provided the children new bicycle helmets at the start of the program, then surprised each with a refurbished bicycle July 29.

“This is exactly what our mission is all about,” says Alejandro Hernandez, the executive director of the West Palm Beach nonprofit. “A bicycle can be much more than a gift. It creates independence, encourages healthy activity and opens doors to new opportunities. Watching these children gain confidence throughout the program and then get to leave with their very own bicycles was incredibly meaningful. This is what our supporters fuel each day.”

A child practices riding with guidance during a six-week learn-to-ride program led by Wee Wheel Wellington. [Photo courtesy of Jack the Bike Man]

Weekly lessons were led by Paige Montanye, owner of Wee Wheel Wellington, a children’s cycling academy dedicated to teaching safety and confidence. Through a partnership with Trek Bicycle Wellington, Montanye supplied bicycles for instruction, allowing students to develop balance, coordination and independence.

Montanye said the partnership ensured that children could practice the skills they developed throughout the program.

“Many of these children had never ridden a bicycle before,” she says. “Over six weeks, we watched them overcome fear, build confidence and experience the excitement that comes with learning something new. Sending them home with their own bicycles means the learning doesn’t stop here and equally shows them how valued they are.”

A child puts his new riding skills into practice after completing the six-week program. [Photo courtesy of Jack the Bike Man]

The bicycle giveaway is part of Jack the Bike Man’s year-round efforts to remove transportation barriers and expand opportunities for children, adults and seniors throughout Palm Beach County. The organization also runs a back-to-school initiative that recognizes deserving students through its Character Counts program.

This year, however, the nonprofit is facing a shortage of donated children’s bicycles and is asking the community for support.

Jack the Bike Man has launched a campaign to raise $20,000 by Sept. 15 to provide 100 bicycle packages for students nominated through Character Counts. A $200 sponsorship provides a child a new bicycle, helmet, lock, professional bike fitting, safety inspection and age-appropriate safety education.

Children from Escuelita Maya react with excitement to their refurbished bicycles from Jack the Bike Man. [Photo courtesy of Jack the Bike Man]

“Every year we meet incredible students whose hard work and character deserve to be celebrated,” Hernandez says. “Unfortunately, this year we simply don’t have enough donated bicycles to recognize every child who has earned one. We’re asking the community to help us close that gap.”

Sponsor a bicycle package or make a donation at jackthebikeman.org. Learn more about child cycling classes at Wee Wheel Wellington at weewheelwellington.com.