SPOKANE, Wash. — A new program in West Central that lets kids ride a “bike bus” to school kicked off Saturday.
This program lets kids ride their bikes to school and back with other students and a volunteer supervisory. The turnout at the kickoff event showed the excitement the community has for this program.
Barb Stuebing was the brains behind the operation. Her dream of having a bike bus started when she noticed how much her kids loved biking to school.
“I feel like it’s a great way to get kids going in the morning,” Stuebing said. “My own kids, it was really important for them to have some exercise before they got to school”
At Saturday’s event, kids had the opportunity to get their bikes checked and fixed. Many also walked away with a free bike, helmet, and lock.
Tysha McMillan and her kids were quick to make the trip over to Holmes Elementary for this event after hearing the buzz. Now, her kids have their first bike.
For McMillan, the most special part of this program is how it makes kids feel included.
“They are going to be meeting with other kiddos and collaborating before school and riding the bus together to school. It actually creates a whole other club for the kids,” McMillan said.
It’s not just about exercise though. The bike bus also aims to help kids feel more independent, a lesson Steubing’s kids learned during their bike rides to school.
“They could ride their bikes to school. They weren’t counting on me for rides to absolutely everywhere,” she said.
This is the program’s first year and those involved are excited to see it grow.
Kate Burke, Executive director for River City Youth Ops: “Hopefully, in the future, we can build it so big that we just take up the road every morning, and everybody knows what it is,” said Kate Burke, the executive director for River City Youth Ops.
You can find more information on how to get your children signed up for the bike bus on the River City Youth Ops website here.
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