Nova Scotia man collects, repairs broken bicycles to give back to kids in the community

Maritimer of the Month – Jon Keachie Our Maritimer of The Month donates his time and talents to make sure kids in his community can enjoy the benefits of bike riding.

WESTVILLE, N.S. — A Nova Scotia man is helping his community by collecting and repairing broken bicycles for kids.

Jon Keachie says it all began seven years ago when the United Way was looking for volunteers for their Bikes for Kids program.

"So, I went out one night to see what it was like and it was actually enjoyable," said Keachie.

According to Keachie, the program was cancelled two years ago after the organization had trouble finding a coordinator. That's when he decided to take things into his own hands.

"I had some bikes of my own and the first year it was just word-of-mouth through some of the local police departments and stuff I contacted. You know, ‘You got a child that had his bike stolen or something let me know,' and I think I only gave out maybe a dozen," said Keachie.

In 2020, Keachie decided to grow his efforts and started a Facebook page to spread the word.

"It's taken off ever since then," he said.

Keachie says he gave out 79 bikes in 2020. So far this year, he has given away 141 bicycles.

"Some come to me and they're quick fixes, maybe half-an-hour, I'll go over them, check them, the odd part," explained Keachie. "Some bikes I've seen me spend over four hours."

During the first couple of years, Keachie says it was a lot of out-of-pocket expenses in order to keep his program running.

"I don't have a lot of money. I drive an 18 year old car that's ready to fall apart," laughed Keachie.

Once the word began to spread on social media, old bikes, parts, and donations started rolling in to help Keachie's cause.  So far this year, he believes he has received over $1,500 in donations.

When asked why he does the work, Keachie says memories from his own childhood inspire him to give back.

"When I was younger, I had a bike and I had a friend that didn't have a bike. So, when I wasn't riding, I let him use mine and he was really happy about it," said Keachie. "When you're a child, you're only a child for a quarter of your life and, to me, every child should know the freedom of having a bicycle."

Keachie's wife says she couldn't be more proud.

"For the kids, and even for our own kids, they're seeing his work ethic and how important it is to give back," said Maggie Keachie.

In the end, Keachie says it’s the smiles on people's faces that keep him going.

"The families are thankful. The children are really happy," said Keachie. "When you see them come down, and you see their face lights up as soon as the minute I say, 'Well, here. It's yours. Take it home.' You know, they're so excited."