Bicycles

When I (Caitlin) reminisce about my childhood, I have strong memories of riding my bike. I rode with my family around town, with my best friends to the park and by myself to school.

Two months ago, The Mustard Seed Edmonton hosted our annual Kid's Petting Zoo. Part of this event was a Win-A-Bike Contest, asking people to draw a picture of the bike they wanted to win or describe what they would use their bike for or what they would name it. We had over 120 entries from people ages 3 to 64. On the day of the event, twelve lucky winners went away with new bikes and huge smiles! It was a good day.

But then I looked through the entries of those who didn't win

and saw this picture...

And I read this....

Then I cried because there were still over 110 people who needed bikes. As staff, we decided to raise money to buy more bikes... and then synergy happened! All of a sudden, people knew people who knew people who could help us get more bikes. We've had bikes come from as far as Lacombe and volunteers have donated bikes or used their skills to fix them. One of my favourite things about working at The Mustard Seed is the way the wider community responds to help us.

It's been amazing to give the bikes away to families so they can be active and have fun together. Today I gave a bike to a man who recently got a new job and will use his bike to get to work. These bikes are giving people the opportunities to affordable transportation and free ways to be fit and have fun.

The Mustard Seed is about building community, growing hope and supporting change. Sometimes that starts with something as simple as a bicycle.