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ALL KIDS BIKE…

  • Dealernews
  • Oct 15, 2021

 

“With kids in the U.S. spending an average of seven hours a day on a digital screen, it’s never been more important for companies like Yamaha to invest in the future of outdoor recreation by getting our youth off of the devices and participating in healthy and fun activities to increase their confidence, instill valuable life lessons, and simply enjoy all the outdoors has to offer,” claims Yamaha Motorsports Marketing Manager Steve Nessl. Putting its money where its mouth is, Yamaha Motor Corp., provided $30,000 to All Kids Bike, covering the cost for six programs teaching kids in Georgia and California kindergartens how to ride bikes.

“Research shows approximately 75% of kids won’t even ride a bicycle one time this year,” adds Ryan McFarland, All Kids Bike founder, who helped Yamaha employees deliver bikes to Morris Elementary in Cypress last month. “We believe it’s critical for the future of our kids and our communities to change that stat, so All Kids Bike is on a mission to teach every kid in America how to ride a bike in kindergarten PE class. We share a common goal with the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative of getting people outside and enjoying nature. This is a big win for our program, but mostly for the kids at these schools.”

Yamaha employees from the Marietta, Georgia, Cypress, California, and Newnan, Georgia, volunteered their time to build and deliver bikes and helmets to local schools. Full All Kids Bike programs, including 24 balance bikes, pedal conversion kits, helmets, and a teacher’s bike, were delivered to Elm Street Elementary in Newnan, A.L. Burruss Elementary School in Marietta and Juliet Morris Elementary School in Cypress. Three more schools in Newnan, Marietta and Cypress are also guaranteed funding through the Yamaha grant and will receive the same program support this year.

“Being able to financially support these efforts is always great but giving Yamaha employees the opportunity to contribute their time to help build and deliver the bikes to schools in the communities where they work is much more meaningful and valuable,” Nessl says. “It’s rewarding to know we’re playing a role in getting more kids outside.”

“My dad was a Yamaha Dealer when I was a kid, so I grew up on Yamaha. The very first Strider Bike I built for my son 15 years ago, I painted it blue and put some Yamaha stickers on it,” says McFarland. “Now that we’ve teamed up with Yamaha’s offices and employees to bring this important program to kids in their communities, we know it will continue to grow from here and we’re already seeing interest from their neighboring schools.”

“Funding for our local schools is integral, and so is helping spread awareness for these national programs that support and activate local efforts where our employees and customers live,” Nessl said. “Yamaha’s Outdoor Access Initiative grant will serve kids at these six schools for years, and we hope the awareness this grant will bring to the broader outdoor recreation community will continue to generate funding for more schools.”

The All Kids Bike program is now in 350 schools in 45 states, with another 50 schools currently in training that will have the program by the end of the year.

 

 

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