MISSOULA — Missoula is a bike-friendly community but sometimes kids don’t have the opportunity to learn how to ride one or learn the proper etiquette and that’s exactly why Chief Charlo Elementary received a donation of bikes for the kids to use.
Through the All Kids Bike Program, Scheels donated a new set of Bikes to Chief Charlo Elementary School’s physical education department.
Kalli Allen the store leader at Scheels says this program is meant to give kids opportunities they may not have at home.
“We did kind of a questionnaire at Scheels a few months back, we did a vote, and Chief Charlo got the vote,” Allen said.
“We’re excited we hope to be able to do this one school a year going forward but just to be able to give these bikes to them and if they’re not able to do this at home and ride bikes at home at least they get to do it here at school.”
Diego Hammett, Chief Charlo’s PE teacher says the bikes provide him a great opportunity to teach kids how to ride a bike especially if their parents are too busy to help them.
“Here with me, they’ll be able to work… let’s say I do a two or three-week unit on it so that’s two to three weeks that they get on a bike,” Hammett said.
“they get more comfortable and they start learning how to ride a bike compared to the parent who might not have the time all the time so that I think is the advantage of this program.”
Hammett also says teaching the kids how to ride gives them an introduction to a new world.
“I think a bike is kind of like freedom, you get on a bike you can go anywhere, you know with the permission of your parents,” Hammett said.
“But you’re riding around outside you’re having fun, and if you teach them the proper technique of riding a bike in the city or on the streets it enhances it even more so they’re safe.”
More information about the All Kids Bike Program and the application can be found at https://allkidsbike.org/school-application/
