Zach and Bree Parham of Lantana recently donated a complete Learn-to-Ride Program to Blanton Elementary School, which will help an estimated 500 kindergartners learn to ride bicycles over the next five years.
“We are proud to get more kids on bikes through our donation to the school and support of the All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Program,” said Zach Parham, president of J&P Cycles. “On behalf of my wife Bree, myself and the dedicated staff at J&P Cycles, we look forward to watching these kids grow to become the next generation of riders.”
The Learn-to-Ride Program, created by All Kids Bike and Strider Education Foundation, includes 22 Strider bikes, helmets and curriculum, which have been delivered to the school near Lantana and will be incorporated into this year’s curriculum, according to a news release from All Kids Bike. The fleet of dual-propulsion 14x Strider Bikes start as balance bikes and convert to pedal bikes, which makes learning to ride easier and makes training wheels obsolete. The Strider Education Foundation, the program provider, also offers continued support for the school.
“Getting kids active is something we all need to be working toward. One of the best ways to get the kids active is to get them excited about bicycles,” said Ryan McFarland, a board member on All Kids Bike. “A lot of kids simply don’t know how to ride. By putting bikes into schools and making racks of bikes as common as racks of basketballs, that ensures every kid has the skill of riding a bike. It’s a skill that keeps them active. It’s also a skill that’s going to serve them in life.”
