West Island Community Shares

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

West Island Community Shares (WICS) held the fourth edition of Bikes for Youth at the Gerry-Roberston Community Centre in Pierrefonds-Roxboro last weekend. Some 60 volunteers gathered to assemble and test 70 new bikes destined for the big give away to underprivileged West Island teens the same day. “What an emotion-filled moment to see the smiles on their faces as they took their new wheels for a spin,” spokesperson for WICS Claude Gagné told The Suburban.

More than 500 children and teens have benefited from the Bikes for Youth initiative since its inception in 2017. Prior to receiving their new bikes, complete with helmets and locks, the teens were invited to enjoy music, games and a BBQ hosted by the volunteers. Some of the recipients with less experience were aided by volunteers to get used to their new riding equipment. Adjustments for height on the bikes and for straps on the helmets were made before the kids got to hop on to their new sports equipment for their first ride. It was a joyful afternoon for all who participated, givers and receivers alike.

Spearheaded by National Bank along with other corporate sponsorship partners, the initiative aims to raise funds and distribute bicycles — complete with helmets and locks — to vulnerable West Island teenagers. “National Bank firmly believes in West Island Community Shares’ mission and this campaign is a demonstration of its support,” Regional Vice-President, Corporate and Private Banking for National Bank Xavier Lalonde said.

“We enlisted the help of the community organizations part of our network to identify teenagers who would benefit from the program. These youths live in vulnerable situations. Most of them come from low-income families, often single-parent or newly arrived in Canada, for whom purchasing a new bike is virtually impossible on an already restricted budget. A bike gives these teenagers the freedom to discover, to grow and to spread their wings,” WICS Executive Director Meagan Somerville said. n