Unifor Local 444 hands out 120 bikes to area students

Students in Windsor have been gifted bikes from Unifor Local 444.

Unifor Local 444 is once again helping local students.

The local’s Community Services Committee was at Walkerville Collegiate Institute and Prince Edward Public School Tuesday morning handing out 120 bikes to students in need.

Local 444 members donated the bikes, which committee members then repaired and refurbished.

Frank Harshaw is a retired 444 member and helps organize the initiative.

He says the local has been handing out bikes to students for over 20 years.

Harshaw says 444 members donated the bikes in April.

“Then we have a pasta fundraiser, which is supported by Koolini’s, and then with that money we raise, we buy parts, and over the course of the last five or six weeks, we’ve fixed these 120 bikes up, and then we find a school that has kids that need bikes, and here we are,” says Harshaw.

Dan Gray is the principal at Walkerville Collegiate Institute and says students that needed a bike signed up to receive one.

“When they walked out the door, they saw the bikes and big smiles on their faces, and they’re like, ‘Which one can I have? Which one do I get?’” says Gray. “So pretty exciting for them.”

Grace Boycott is a grade 10 student at Walkerville Collegiate Institute.

She received a bike Tuesday morning and says it’s cool.

“I’m outside a lot, and I like exercise, so biking is really important to me, plus I don’t have a bike at home anymore; it kind of broke,” says Boycott.

Grade 10 student Zilar Drew says he doesn’t come from a wealthy family, and receiving a bike means a lot to him.

“Being able to have a bike is a really good opportunity for me,” says Drew. “I like to get outside, and I liked to bike around when I did have a bike. So it’s just a really nice opportunity, and I feel very grateful for the people that are doing this.”

Each school received 60 bikes on Tuesday.

Local 444 says the next year, the committee will hit 3,000 bike donations to local students.