More than 100 volunteers help to build bikes for underprivileged kids

WEST CHESTER » On Thursday evening, more than 100 volunteers showed up for Pine Street Carpenters’ annual bike-build at the remodeling firm’s shop in West Chester. It was part of Pine Street’s “100 Wheels Project,” the group’s community outreach project providing bikes to deserving children in the community.

This was the 10th year Pine Street held its bike-build, and since the project’s inception in 2008, the group has built 845 bikes. Volunteers at Thursday’s event built 105 of them.

In addition to building bikes, volunteers wrapped helmets and bike locks to accompany the bikes, and attached scarves to each completed bike. Through a grant provided by the Kids Injury Prevention Program at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, each child receiving a bike will also receive a bike helmet.

“We are so grateful to everyone in the community who supports this event,” said Brendon Dolan, owner of Pine Street Carpenters. “Our friends in the community and clients, local businesses and industry partners, and the wonderful nonprofits we partner with – their help is critical to the success of this project, and this year was no different.”

Within just a few hours on Thursday evening, 105 bicycles were assembled and ready for delivery to various non-profit organizations in the community. Prior to the event, Pine Street partners with local social service agencies and nonprofit organizations to identify families and children in need. Bicycles are purchased for each child identified and, once assembled, delivered to the local organizations. Some organizations distribute the bikes at holiday parties. Others work with parents to make sure a shiny new bike makes its way next to the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.

This year, Pine Street worked with 10 nonprofit agencies in the region, including: Family Services of Chester County (West Chester); Friends Association for the Care and Protection of Children (West Chester); Saint Agnes Day Room (West Chester); The Care Center (West Chester); Chester County Family Academy (West Chester); People’s Pantry at Church Road (Malvern); Family Services of Montgomery County (Norristown); Stewart Middle School (Norristown); Home of the Sparrow (Exton); and Delaware County Children and Youth Services (Upper Darby).

Local businesses who supported “The 100 Wheels Project” this year included: Brothers Pizza, O’Rourke & Sons, Mauger & Company, Michael Strayer Plumbing, Pennsy Corporation, Chapman Windows and Doors, and Mop-Ups Cleaning Services, all of West Chester; Mar-John Masonry and Harmony Heating of Kennett Square; Hudecheck Corporation of Coatesville; Trestle Bridge Racing and the Downingtown Composite Mountain Biking Team of Downingtown; and Ronal Festermacher, ASID, of Unionville. The bikes themselves were purchased at discounted prices thanks to the generosity of Toys R Us in Exton. To learn more about Pine Street’s “100 Wheels Project,” visit www.bikebuild.org.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Skye Zolomij, Anna Dolan and Molly Dolan, all of West Chester, work on a bike at Pine Street Carpenters “100 Wheels Project” bike-build.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Pine Street Carpenter Jim Osborne and his family building a bike at the remodeling firm’s “100 Wheels Project” bike-build.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Embreeville resident Tom O’Neill of Pine Street Carpenters inspects a bike at the remodeling firms 10th annual bikebuild, which was held Thursday evening. 105 bikes were built for deserving children in the community.