Bike merchants give back

A few dozen donated bicycle helmets are stacked under a Christmas tree at Ride on Bikes, but shop owner Jason McKenzie would like to see more. He plans to add them to Chester Jackson's bike giveaway for children at the East Coast body shop on Dec. 20.

"I used to take bikes up to Atlanta," McKenzie said, "But last year it just didn't feel right. I wanted something local."

He heard about Jackson's annual event, and took a trailer filled with bikes, frames, wheels and parts. He was touched by Jackson's warmth and enthusiasm.

The body shop owner started the bicycle drive three years ago. He had been dismantling old bikes for scrap metal, when a young boy suggested that he collect them.

Jackson then had the vision to begin the Wishing Well bike giveaway.

"He has about 400 bikes now, so I asked him what he needed," said McKenzie. Helmets. They didn't have helmets to go with the bicycles.

So the Broadway bike shop is matching a $20 donation toward the purchase of a new helmet, and has received about $500 to date.

"I'll keep ordering them if we keep selling them," McKenzie said.

Ride on Bikes is located at 1036 Broadway, or call 706-324-1132 for more information.

The East Coast body shop is located at 923-A Farr Road, or call 706-685-0823 for more information on Jackson's Wishing Well program for neighborhood children.

This story was originally published December 12, 2014 at 10:05 PM with the headline "Bike merchants give back."