N.B. news: Retired teacher delivers bikes to kids

For the past 12 years, Krista Richard has been delivering bikes to people in the Greater Moncton area free of charge.

The retired school teacher runs the Bikes and Trikes for Everyone donation program.

Parents reach out via her community Facebook page and send the name, age and height of their children and Richard takes it from there.

It’s a huge benefit to newcomers and lower income families.

“Bikes, like everything else, are more expensive. When we were kids, everyone had a bike and it never occurred to me that some kids don’t have a bike,” said Richard.

A collection of bicycle helmets is pictured. (Source: Derek Haggett/CTV News Atlantic)Richard has dozens of bikes at her Moncton home and has already donated more than 70, with 42 kids still on the list.

She even salvaged 14 discarded bikes from the dump recently and is in the process of getting them road ready.

“It’s part of summer and the thought of a child going all summer without a bike, it really brings tears to my eyes because it’s such a part of childhood,” she said.

Sushil Kumar Sharma and his wife received two bikes from Richard on Tuesday for their kids and gave one back.

“She’s doing a fantastic job for the community. I have been following her for two years. In the last year she has given us both of the children’s bikes,” said Sharma. “My younger son is excited for this. I told him yesterday and he’s very excited, so he will be coming from school and he’s going for a ride.”

Richard does the basic tune-ups on the donated bikes, but any major work is done by Vernon Doucet, her personal mechanic who does the complicated repairs.

Krista Richard runs the Bikes and Trikes for Everyone donation program. (Source: Facebook/Bikes and Trikes for Everyone)Doucet thinks the program is great for new Canadians.

“It really helps to have a bike or something for the kids to be able to connect with the other kids and to integrate into society here. I think it’s great for those people that don’t have the means or don’t have the ways to get access to that. Krista just makes it possible very easily and it’s amazing,” said Doucet.

Richard also runs a free afterschool sports program at BGC Moncton, something she’s very passionate about.

She’s set up indoor soccer and floor hockey leagues for students in Grades 4-to-8.

As for how long she can keep up the bike donation program, she’s not quite sure.

“Oh, until every child has a bike I guess. Or until I can’t do it anymore,” said Richard.

Anyone interested in donating a bicycle can reach out to Richard’s Bikes and Trikes for Everyone Facebook page.

She’ll be accepting donations until the end of the school year.

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