Foundation gives bikes to poor kids

FOR the past several years, a foundation has been a Santa Claus to children from poor families who wanted to own a bicycle.

Since 2004, The Bike for Foundation already donated about 2,500 bikes to schoolchildren.

Tristan Wayne Valle, 30, said that the foundation of which he heads is just too happy to provide bicycles to the schoolchildren which they can use in going to school.

“No amount of money could equal on how we feel every time we give a bike to our recipients. It really warms our hearts,” Valle, who is from Tacloban but is now based in Cebu, said.

Valle, an architect by profession, said their foundation visits remote areas in the country, mostly in Cebu, where they “spot” children from poor families who they believe deserves to be given a bicycle.

“Believe me, the first children who approach our bikes are the ones who really need it. And we give it to them, no question asked,” he said.

“But we also give bicycles to construction workers in the city which they can use to commute from home to their work. This way, we can help them, considering their low pay,” Valle added.

Meanwhile, the three members of the foundation, known as the Bugoy Bikers, will be in the road again this year to raise funds in order for them to buy bicycles to be given to their beneficiaries.

Valle and his bike buddies, Junbe Escopete, an aircraft engineer; and Jens Funk, a German and an information technology consultant, are to undertake a bike expedition this month.

The three will bike their way to the five peaks of India starting on August 9.

Their expedition will cover the Manali-Leh Highway crossing the Khardiung La Pass and ending at the Nubra Valley.

The biking expedition, dubbed as “Give me 5,” would take them around 1,000 kilometers at high altitude (3,000 to 5,400 meter), crossing five major passes of their route, which includes Khardung Pass, said to be the highest motorable highway in the world.

Aside from collecting funds in the course of their biking expedition, both Valle and Escopete will be the first Filipino bikers to reach the area.

“This will bring us national pride. And our travel to these areas is being supported by various biking associations,” Valle said. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)