Rides by Marv’s has returned for another year of providing underprivileged youth with the chance to get a new bike.
The summer gig for Marv Friesen is a way for him to put aside his love for classic cars and restore old bikes for kids and youth.
Friesen uses donated or old bikes and parts to build the bikes and sometimes from scratch back into working shape for kids of varying ages.
This year, with the help of his family and friends they are aiming to rebuild and distribute 170 bikes. That is up from the120 they did last year.
He says his day job as MLA for Riversdale in Saskatoon allows him to work on the bikes at any time during the day.
“I love helping others,” said Friesen. “I’m an early riser. The other day I woke up at 3 a.m. and decided now is a good time to get at ‘er and work on some of the bikes.”
For 9-year-old Ahmed Abdelrahman and 14-year-old Aadil Usman, getting the chance to pick out a new bike and meeting Friesen was a thrill. The best part was going for a ride.
“I’m really happy with this bike and I will be using it a lot this summer,” said Usman.
“I just wanted to say that I am so grateful for getting a new bike,” Abdelrahman said.
They were two of 11 kids that picked out bikes at the last drop-off.
Saskatchewan Intercultural Association youth program coordinator Abdullah Olewi said they have 60 kids in their program that are eligible for a bike if they want one. The same can be said for their family members. Olewi says he wishes there were more people like Friesen, giving back to the community and providing such joy for kids.
“This is incredible,” said Olewi. “Especially with the pandemic and the financial situation with families and people.”
Friesen adds some of the bikes, especially the kid ones, are hard to come by this year. Bikes supply in general has seen its challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Salesperson and technician at Doug’s Spoke ‘N Sport Teal Kreuger says nearly all their products come from outside the country. Usually the shop and their customers would see some deals on bikes.
However, the lack of product on the shelves and rise in cost to make the bikes has added to a higher bike cost.
“We’re not going to see any impacts in the actual prices available at a whole price or a retail prices changing for six months and up to a year,” said Kreuger.
That isn’t stopping Friesen from making sure every kid gets a bike.
“Every kid should have a bike,” said Friesen.
“I’ve said it before, it’s freedom for a young child or an older child. It’s the freedom they get to cruise around and do their own thing.”
He said some of the kids that picked up bikes hadn’t been on one in years and the smiles and joy on their faces are what makes him want to keep doing this for summers to come.
“It drives me for sure, let’s do some more, fix some more bikes for these kids.”
Friesen says later this summer he will be heading to the Mistawasis First Nation with bikes that will need some fixing to teach kids and youth how to tend and repair their own bikes.
For more information about if you would like to donate any bike parts visit the Rides by Marv’s Facebook page.