Nate Bostrom introduced Tia Martinson, the Executive Director of Free Bikes 4 Kidz MN. Ms. Martinson leads an organization that collects recycled bicycles, refurbishes and distributes them to children and persons in need. The bikes come from Recycling centers, businesses and individuals. The work is performed by volunteers, and the organization functions through their dedication and the partnerships formed with schools, community groups and generous businesses. Allina Health is the primary collector of the bikes and provides the means to store, fix and distribute them. Those receiving bikes are provided helmets, bike skills and safety rules.
Tia showed a video to communicate the Free Bikes For Kidz (FB4K) mission and to illustrate the value one bike can bring. She hopes to distribute 15,000 bikes this year and needs 30-40,000 volunteer hours to meet that goal. The FB4K funding comes from individual donations, business sponsors and an annual MN Ironman Bike Ride. This year’s Ride is on Aug. 14 and takes place in Shakopee and Scott County. (https://ironmanbikeride.org)
To contact Tia Martinson: email [email protected]; Cell Phone: 203.848.4881. Web page for Free Bikes 4 Kidz MN: https://bikes4kidsmn.org
