Bike giveway June 25 to offer healthy alternative to youth

A local family, in conjunction with Battles Investment Group and All About Work, has collected over 100 bikes and are going to give them youth in the Fox View community.

Led by Ron and Sabrina Thomas who did bike giveaways in the past, they are hoping to get some youth off the couch and riding bikes. This will be a fun and healthy alternative for many youth.

The effort was challenging, having to run all over many neighborhoods buying bikes, finding local scrappers with bikes for sale, and meeting a few kind people who donated a few bikes.

The Thomas's backyard is filled with bikes. After a long work day, Ron Thomas can be found in his backyard or bikeyard working on these bikes.

Ron Thomas and Corey Battles once ran many successful programs (alternative suspension, sports, volunteer youth group, teen boys programs, summer camps and many more) in Fox View. Ron took it upon himself on Father's Day to go door-to-door knocking on doors and/or hanging flyers. Hours later, Ron completed going to over 300 doors. This is a labor of love and Fox View will always have a special place in my heart. Youth are our future and they require and we must invest in our future.

Sign up for the bike giveaway on Saturday, June 25. It will be 8 to 10 a.m., or until all bikes are given out, at Fox View Apartments, 27 Oxford Drive in Carpentersville.

A maximum of two bikes per household will be given out. Register by texting your name to Ron Thomas at (847) 529-9650 to be assigned a number based on sign-up order.