Thousands of bikes assembled to donate to Louisville families this Christmas

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A lot of people can recall their childhood memories of watching a bike wheel in on Christmas. The Bike or Bust fundraiser is a local and annual mission to give every child in the Louisville area that cherished memory.

This holiday season, the UAW 862 warehouse will be full of wheels, ribbons, and love to prepare for the event.

“It’s what life’s about,” Rodney Janes from UAW 862 said. “And there’s people less fortunate than us, and we are able to give back a little bit.”

Janes is one of many UAW local 862 members partnering with the Metro United Way and Summit Media to deliver thousands of bikes to children.

“It’s a humanitarian thing,” Janes said. “It is giving back. It’s a blessing beyond words.”

As a member of Bike or Bust for the past six years, Nick Reid said his team works hard to assemble nearly 2,500 bikes before Christmas.

“That’s a lot of bikes,” Reid said. “That’s a lot of kids.”

“If we look back on when we were a child and remember when we got that big, shiny bike, it just gives up motivation,“ Janes said. “This bike means the world to these children.”

There are long hours spent in the UAW shop before the giveaways begin.

“We all know we have to get this done,” Reid said. “We all know we have to get this ready. We have kids’ Christmases depending on it.”

Janes said it may not be comfortable, but it’s worth it.

“Are you cold? Yes. Are you freezing? Yes,” Janes said. “Whatever the case may be, it doesn’t matter! Because it’s a labor of love for children.”

After taking quick breaks by the heater, the team is back to providing warmth, support, and wheels for the community.

Bikes can be donated to the UAW on Fern Valley Road in Louisville.

Families can sign up for bikes through Toys for Tots.

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