Key takeaways:
- Contributions can be life-changing for families, says Kristina Ennis.
- The Rotary Club of St. John’s East continues its yearly bike collection and repair project in May and June.
The Rotary Club of St. John’s East is continuing an initiative to offer transportation to those in requirement in the province.
In 2020, the club founded its Bike Project, which collects and repairs bicycles to contribute to people who require them. The project started as a way to keep people active during the early phases of the COVID-19 outbreak, says Kristina Ennis, the club’s incoming vice-president.
“At the time, it was tough to get your hands on tools for outdoor activities,” Ennis told CBC News in a recent interview.
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“So working with the community that we do, we wanted to see a way to give back and find ways to support those community members get outside and stay busy.” But what began as a pandemic project has grown into something much more significant, said Ennis.
Since the project’s inception, the group has gathered almost 250 bikes and hopes to rise this year. The Rotary Club has also launched a partnership with the Association for New Canadians to provide bicycles to newcomers, including recent arrivals from Ukraine.
Alice Keough, the association’s community connections co-ordinator, says having access to transportation can make all the difference for newcomers looking to establish roots in their community.
Source – cbc.ca
