Cool New Wheels: Free Bike Depot Gifts Pair of Tricycles
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WHEELING -- A pair of local young people are now riding around in style and comfort thanks to donations from local charity organizations.
Hunter Harris, 14, and Kyllie Endsley, 24, each were at The Free Bike Depot in Center Wheeling on Wednesday morning to receive their new tricycles. Both Harris and Endsley have been diagnosed with autism, and they struggle to balance on two-wheel bicycles.
Harris, a Martins Ferry resident, loves to explore Wheeling with his grandfather, Terry Harris, who takes care of him. Terry Harris has loved to walk with his grandson for the past 10 years, but recently he has had trouble keeping up with him due to back and knee pain.
"Hunter had me over here in Wheeling like three or four times in the last week because he wanted to visit all four bridges," said Terry Harris. "My legs felt like they were gonna fall off."
While Terry Harris had looked into getting a tricycle for his grandson, they were all too expensive.
When the grandfather mentioned the problem to Pastor Terry Endsley of Centre Fellowship Wheeling, he knew immediately to contact John Warnick, the founder of the Free Bike Depot.
Warnick, with the help of volunteers, strips and refurbishes bikes at the shop, including the tricycles given to Hunter Harris and Kyllie Endsley on Wednesday.
After Terry Endlsey shared the 14-year-old's story with Warnick, the founder spread the word that a tricycle was needed. Danielia Gummer, a long-time donor, came forth immediately to facilitate a tricycle donation. Natalie Humphrey, a new contributor, got the ball rolling for a second tricycle. She connected her employer MPR Supply Chain Solution with the Hope Rises Charity run by Josh Shutler in St. Clairsville to get funding for the donation.
From a conversation only a couple of days earlier, Warnick had already received two tricycles.
"That's the hub of what happens here: networking, connecting, sharing, and getting other people involved," said Warnick. "What I love about this is the new people that come in."
Kevin Truex, a volunteer who has helped out at the Free Bike Depot for two years, worked on the new tricycles, adding baskets and other features.
The bike donated by Gummer will go to Kyllie Endlsey, who shared that she was excited to listen to music and ride again.
"My mom and I go on long rides and we ride around the church a lot," she added. "Now I have this cupholder and front basket in case we need to get a few things."
Hunter also shared his enthusiasm at receiving a tricycle he could easily ride equipped with cupholders and a basket at the front and back of the bike.
Hunter's grandfather was happy that his grandson will not only get to take his tours of Wheeling on a new set of wheels, but that his own knees and back will also now get some relief.
"He likes going everywhere and I'm getting old so I can't keep up with him," he explained. "Walking with him was getting harder and harder. This will be a really big help."
Terry Endlsey was thrilled to have initiated Hunter receiving his new tricycle.
"Hunter and his grandpa love to walk but they'd much rather ride," said the pastor on the benefits of the tricycle for both Hunter and his grandpa. "They can get groceries with the basket on the back, all that."
The Free Bike Depot had a modest beginning when Warnick, a bike enthusiast and avid rider, gave one away to a homeless person 10 years ago. After that first exchange, Warnick "just kept giving bikes away" from his collection. Warnick's charity led him to speak at churches, which is how he connected with Centre Fellowship Wheeling, who invited him to set up shop in their basement in 2017.
Today, the Free Bike Depot fills out the basement of the church from floor to ceiling, as bike racks line the walls with helmets and other spare parts taking up the rest of the space.
"It started out as a mustard seed, just giving a bike to a guy," said Warnick. "Then more and more people started coming along, donating and volunteering."
Warnick also emphasized the community aspect of the depot and encouraged people to contact him at 304-281-6085, Truex at 304-281-3746, or Minister Dave Holloway at 304-280-6704, if they have "time, treasure, or talent" to lend to the Free Bike Depot.