Hundreds of donated bicycles in need of safety helmets

An area non-profit is looking to donate more than 175 bicycles to children via local organizations, but first wants to raise enough money to purchase new safety helmets to go along with the toys.

More than 300 bikes have been donated to Bicycle Recycle to date, with more than 130 being distributed to area organizations, but no helmets have been available due to lack of funds, said Jamie Beringer, of West Chester Twp., who founded the group in 2015

Butler County Children Services will receive 100 of the bicycles and Reach Out Lakota will get 30, with the remainder being distributed to other organizations and individuals, but first Beringer wants to raise $1,300 for the safety helmets.

“I have always been a huge advocate of safety from car seats to helmets,” Beringer said. “I make my 11- and 12-year-olds wear helmets. I just think it is a very important safety feature.”

Most donations to Bicycle Recycle come in the form of broken, unwanted or unused bikes, which then get fixed up for children in foster care.

Beringer has even started taking parts that typically would be junked at the scrap yard and made art out of them, such as jewelry, clocks and wreaths to be given away for a donation to the group.

While most of the donations to Bicycle Recycle are used bikes, several people have donated new ones, which get saved for “the special cases,” Beringer said.

She established Bicycle Recycle as a fund in June 2015 via Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty and works to publicize the organization’s name and mission, constantly networking, trying to get donors and connecting with other organizations that Bicycle Recycle could help.

Dave Lodder, who became known locally because of a care-packages-for-soldiers initiative he organized, as well as homeless relief efforts, does the actual fixing in his shop out in Millville and also delivers the bikes.

Beringer said she doesn’t get to meet the children Bicycle Recycle has helped so far, but hears feedback from the adults who distribute the bicycles.

“We’ve been told that most kids never thought it was a possibility and they are super excited,” she said.

The group also collects scooters, tricycles, skateboards and “basically anything with wheels,” Beringer said.

Those wishing to donate money for the new helmets may do so via a check to Beringer mailed to: 8224 Gray Fox Drive, West Chester, OH, 45069, or a donation via Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty at www.wclfoundation.com/donate.

Butler County Children Services Director Bill Morrison said what Beringer and Lodder do via Bicycle Recycle is “a wonderful thing.”

“We couldn’t be happier to see our community involved in the lives of children in Butler County,” Morrison said.

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