Wild Rock Outfitters (Peterborough, Ontario)

At Wild Rock, we often have opportunities to learn about great programs that are going on in our community. We are proud to share the following community success story with you. Below is the story of Team Bikewrench and our involvement with it. We find this inspiring and hope you do, too!

Rob Meyers is a teacher at Chimo, which is a residential treatment program near Kinmount. Rob teaches in a classroom run jointly by Chimo Youth and Family services and Trillium Lakelands District School Board. Several years ago, Rob started taking bike maintenance clinics here at Wild Rock and got an idea. The idea was to learn the basics of bike maintenance and then start teaching these skills to the students. The long-term goal was to get donated bikes and fix them up so the kids could use them.

The proposal promised many things which included promoting cycling as a lifelong activity, increasing fitness levels, promoting and demonstrating road safety and proper cycling etiquette. Obviously, the list goes on and needless to say, the program was approved. One of our mechanics went up for the day to teach the class some skills and everyone said the day was a huge success. Rob says this of the beginning of the program:

"The students and I began fixing up older bikes that friends and colleagues donated to the school. Zac Wheeler from Wild Rock came to the school for the day to share his expertise with us and get us on our way. Working with beginner mechanics, Zac had an incredible way of instilling a sense of confidence in everyone to start with the basics and continue from there. His easy-going personality enabled the students to immediately feel comfortable and by the end of the day, Zac became an inspiring positive role model for the students and staff. By the end of riding season that autumn, every student as well as participating staff increased their fitness levels by an incredible margin. The students are always easily motivated to ride bikes, train as a team and participate in cycling day adventures throughout the Haliburton Highlands and the Kawarthas. This set the trend to continue into 2007 and 2008."

The success of the program led to more ideas, more success and more opportunities for learning. Not content to let things lie, Rob decided to add the element of helping the students learn how to use their new skills to give back to the community.

"Inspired by Team RACE's (Race Against Cancer Everywhere) compassionate efforts towards those living with and beyond cancer, Chimo School introduced Team Bikewrench in the spring of 2007. Providing tune-ups in the student bike shop in exchange for donations enabled us to surpass our original goal of $500.00 and raised $1500.00 for Camp Trillium, Camp Oochigeas, and Camp Quality. "With multiple locations staffed by health care professionals, volunteers, and camp alumni, the camps provide tremendous emotional support coupled with various degrees of essential medical attention"(Tour For Kids website). This was a result of the Team's effort, dedication, and commitment during the spring and summer. On August 18, 2007, a team of students volunteered their wrenching services at a rest stop for cyclists who were participating in the Tour for Kids, which supports and raises awareness for these very special camps for children with cancer. Below are a few quotes from Rob as well as a number from people who have been touched by the program:

"Due to a minor injury I sustained on the third day of Tour For Kids, I found myself at the 50 kilometre rest stop for one hour, where I had occasion to observe a few of your Team Bikewrench students attending to cyclists' bikes. I was so impressed with the two young men who were fully engaged, diligently cleaning and servicing bikes. They both displayed tender loving care to their task and their enthusiasm to the task, along with their politeness was exemplary. Your valuable bike programme has inspired me to donate an additional $500.00 to Tour For Kids on behalf of Team Bikewrench, and enable one more child with cancer to attend camp"(Dr. Allan Jeffries).

Team Bikewrench was launched in 2007 as a way to introduce Service Learning to our curriculum at Chimo School. "Service Learning is essential to developing empathy and responsiveness, important traits of good character. Any school that hopes to be successful in a character education initiative needs to establish service learning as a critical element of their efforts" (Dr. Phillip Fitch Vincent, Developing Character In Students, 1999).

The Team's enthusiasm and caring attitude throughout this endeavour really amazed me. The students were given an opportunity to express their reflections in a written assignment, which illustrates the valuable learning that takes place when you go out of your way to help others.

"I feel great helping these kids - and knowing that we are helping them get into a camp when they are in so much pain, it overwhelmed me and everyone, and all we do is fix bikes and they go through so much emotionally and physically."
          JM - student

"We thought we should help out teenagers or children that have cancer - so they go to camp and make friends and be able to have fun and get attention that they never had before. It makes a big difference to the other kids. This program that we are doing is also teaching us something. It's teaching us how to fix bikes and it's teaching us that we can help others we don't know."
             MW - student

" Since I've started Team Bikewrench, I've learned some of life's lessons. I feel really good to know that I'm making a difference in a child's life by sending them to a camp. I've helped work on some of the bikes and I knew that I was helping to make a difference."
           JH - student

"I see Team Bikewrench as a good thing because we fix bikes and people pay us and we donate the money to camp to help the kids with cancer so they can get well and go home."
       JJ - student

"I really think that it gives the kids a hope in the future and I am really glad I could be a part of it"
       AA - student

"Team Bikewrench is all about helping kids with cancer and raising money for them. I think this program is great - helping kids pay their way into camp. I think that we need more people and more time to get the job done."
            BT - student

Below is Rob's most current update on the program:

Currently, Team Bikewrench is repairing bikes for donations to support Ontario's Children Cancer Camps again and set a goal of $2000.00, which will enable 4 kids and their families to experience the joys of camp. Team Bikewrench recently participated in a Bowling event that raised money for Dawson Hamilton from Minden who has been battling leukemia and its' side effects for 3.5 years. The students performed a basic tune-up on three bikes with proceeds going to Dawson's family. Wild Rock supported this endeavour by donating a bike repair kit, and bike accessories. Chimo's cycling program has met and surpassed all of my original goals. I was surprised how much the student's efforts have inspired others to go out of their way to help with our goals of supporting Ontario's cancer camps. I certainly encourage all schools to promote cycling as part of their curriculum. Promoting an active lifestyle is paramount to the overall health of our students and communities. We would like to sincerely thank Wild Rock for all of their support in terms of training, product and special deals in parts and accessories for our student repair shop.

For more information about Chimo please click the link:
chimoyouth.ca