Big year for Queen City Bicycle Collective’s Earn-a-Bike Program
2024 is a unique year for the Earn-a-Bike Program. With Beech Street School 4th graders moving to middle school for 5th grade starting next year, QC Bike has decided to offer a package to all of this year’s fourth AND fifth graders at Beech Street School. This is no trivial expansion; it represents
MANCHESTER, NH – The Earn-A-Bike Program, originally created by the Manchester Community Schools Project in collaboration with Queen City Bicycle Collective (QC Bike), Gossler Park Elementary School, and Beech Street Elementary School, has been rewarding academic achievement and leadership skills of elementary school children with bikes since 2015.
Eligible students who select a bike package receive a helmet, lights and lock to meet all transportation needs while also offering an outlet for exercise and recreation. Students who already have bikes at home can earn an alternative “Be Active” package. The alternative packages include a ball, pump, and accessories, or a set of tennis lessons with a racket through Tennis in the Parks with Manchester Parks and Recreation and a helmet, lights and lock.
2024 is a unique year for the Earn-a-Bike Program. With Beech Street School 4th graders moving to middle school for 5th grade starting next year, QC Bike has decided to offer a package to all of this year’s fourth AND fifth graders at Beech Street School. This is no trivial expansion; it represents an increase of 95 students, bringing the total number to 225!
Fourth graders at Gossler Park Elementary received their “Be Active” packages on May 22 during the Gossler Park Block Party from 4:30 – 6 p.m. Fourth AND Fifth graders at Beech Street Elementary will receive their bikes at school on May 31st.
Each school had a bike safety assembly provided by certified instructors through Bike Walk Alliance of NH. The safety lesson is reinforced by helmet fitting,initially done in the classroom and checked by Elliot Health System staff at the distribution events.
QC Bike Collective refurbishes all the bikes to “almost new” and assembles the Be Active packages with the help of amazing volunteers and generous funders. “We are deeply grateful to Elliot Hospital for being the program’s long standing major sponsor and this year, when we needed to find increased support, we got it!” said Tyler Glodt, QC Bike’s Executive Director.
“Elliot Health System, a founding member of SolutionHealth, is proud to support community health and wellness initiatives that impact local children,” says Anne-Marie Hafeman, Director, Community Engagement & Volunteer Resources for Elliot Health System. “In this case, we are thrilled knowing that students at two elementary schools completed the leadership programs to earn bikes and Be Active packages.”
This year’s success is due to the depth of support the community offered. Volunteers spent hundreds of hours preparing the bikes and dozens of volunteers are helping with the distribution events, including crews from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and Eversource. The number of high quality, trade-in bikes donated through Trek Hooksett and Gate City Coop & Trek Nashua, made a huge difference. Additional funding came from SNHU, Queen City Rotary Club, Granite State Wheelers Bicycling Club, Eversource, Keller Williams. Walmart, and many private donors.
The Queen City Bicycle Collective continues its mission to get, and keep, the Manchester community riding bicycles safely and affordably with services, events, and community outreach. You can help in that mission by donating funds, bikes or parts, or volunteering your time. Learn more by visiting www.qcbike.org/contacting Abby Easterly at abby@qcbike.org, or by viewing Queen City Bicycle Collective YouTube videos.
