Free Bikes 4 Kidz
Allina Health partners with Free Bikes 4 Kidz, a non-profit organization geared toward helping all kids ride into a happier, healthier childhood by providing bikes to those most in need. "Biking can be a life-long pastime. Many of our employees are avid cyclists, and we want to help make it possible for every child to participate in this healthy, fun and environmentally-friendly activity," says Kenneth H. Paulus, president and CEO of Allina Health. Allina Health and Free Bikes 4 Kidz 2012 Bikes collected at 48 Allina Health locations filled two warehouses in Hopkins and Maplewood. The bikes will be cleaned, repaired and refurbished before being distributed with helmets and bike safety information to needy children. See more bikes and great volunteers in our facebook photo album. More than 5,300 bikes collectedOn Saturday, October 13, rain didn't dampen the mood for 800 volunteers at 48 Allina Health locations where community members came to donate used or new bikes. More than 5,300 bikes were collected. "It is amazing to see how many Allina Health employees volunteered for this event," said Ellie Zuehlke, director of Community Benefit and Engagement. "Because of our collective efforts, more than 5,000 children will have a bike of their own this holiday season." One woman took three trips to deliver six bikes that she couldn't fit in her compact car. An elderly man dropped off one of the oldest bikes donated. Although he commented that it had traveled many miles, it was in pristine shape. He watched as it was wheeled away and confirmed that it would go to a good home. By the end of the day, the bike donations filled two warehouses in Hopkins and Maplewood. The bikes will be cleaned, repaired and refurbished before being distributed with helmets and bike safety information to children in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Bikes were distributed during the first two weeks of December.
Bike donation 2012About 800 volunteers at 48 Allina Health locations received more than 5,300 bikes on Saturday, Oct. 13 for Free Bikes 4 Kidz. Most volunteers were Allina Health employees, many of whom will continue to volunteer to spruce up the bikes between now and early December when they'll be given away. 12 News was at the collection warehouse when the bikes were coming in from the donation sites. Allina Health Cardiologist Nick Burke and Free Bikes 4 Kidz Executive Director Terry Esau talked with KARE11's Diana Piercea about the October 13 bike drop-off day at 48 Allina Health clinic and hospital locations. Bike donation 2011Ellie Zuehlke, director of community benefit and engagement, explains why Allina Health decided to round up, repair and give bikes - and bike helmets - to 5,000 children. Bike distribution 2011Across the Twin Cities metro, greater Minnesota and western Wisconsin, thousands of kids from families in need received free bikes in December 2011. One of the dozens of sites that the kids and their families picked up the bikes was WestHealth in Plymouth, Minnesota. 2011 bike giveaway Volunteers at Allina Medical Clinic - St. Michael load donated bikes onto a truck rented for the occasion. See more bikes and great volunteers in our photo album on facebook. December 10, 2011: Bike distributionAllina Health worked with community partners to identify kids in need. Twenty Allina Health sites hosted this special giveaway event. Nearly 5,000 bikes were given away in 2011 -- more than double the 1,200 distributed in 2010. During the statewide giveaway, Allina Health provided free helmets and concussion information to all who receive bikes. The concussion information included copies of "Always Wear Your Helmet," a bike helmet safety video featuring Ben Utecht, former Minnesota Gopher and Super Bowl champion.
November 2011: Bike cleanup and repairAllina Health employees, physicians and local partners volunteered time and expertise to refurbish bikes for their new owners. Volunteers included novices who cleaned bicycles and filled tires and mechanics who repaired bikes and did safety checks. Free Bikes for Kidz accepted bikes at more than 20 locations throughout the Twin Cities metro area. To find the bike collection location nearest you, go to fb4k.com/donate. October 2011: Bike collection dayOn Saturday, October 22, Allina Health made 51 hospital and clinic locations drop-off sites for donated bicycles. The collection garnered between 3,500 and 4,000 bikes according to Free Bikes for Kidz Executive Director Terry Esau. "We were up until 2 a.m. getting bikes into our Hopkins warehouse," Esau said. "We estimate we have over 3,000 bikes here and another 700 to 800 bikes in our east side warehouse." "More than 400 volunteers helped make this day a huge success," said Aimee Pappenfuss, volunteerism program manager, Allina Health. Comments like these show how the day was much more than an afternoon of volunteering: A man pulled up to the drop-off location at Cambridge Medical Center and unloaded four brand new bicycles still in boxes. When asked if he would like a t-shirt or donation receipt, the man replied, "You people are doing a good thing here. I just wanted to do a good thing, too." My two sons came with and helped volunteer, and that was an opportunity all on its own. My children were able to see that yes, there are people less fortunate than us, and that we made a difference in their lives by giving a little of their time! A gentleman was visiting a patient... without being asked, he helped load all the bikes, followed me to Hopkins to unload trucks and then came with to make a pick up at a clinic. He refused an offer to pay for gas for his truck. He gave up his entire Saturday to help a cause he knew nothing about a few hours before. |
