The Center for Recreation Education Arts Technology and Enterprise, Inc. (CREATE) in partnership with Community Baptist Church, Oconee Outfitters, and Kennesaw State University donated 46 brand-new bicycles to the Baldwin County Board of Education.
CREATE is a local nonprofit organization that provides programs to vulnerable and underserved populations within Middle Georgia. One of the programs it offers focuses on cycling and teaching children in kindergarten through high school how to safely ride bicycles and be more active. Its program offers team training rides, organized bike excursions throughout Georgia, and biking events beyond state borders. CREATE also works in the schools through grant programs to give every student a chance to learn to ride and master the basics of cycling.
“Many kids in our county are unable to learn to ride or continue riding after our programs due to not owning or being able to purchase their own bike,” said Gregory Barnes, executive director of CREATE Inc. “Through this donation we are able to promote active lifestyles and outdoor exploration, which has become more rare since the introduction of technology.”
Stacey Milner-Hurt, who grew up in Baldwin County, works at Kennesaw State University as the director of Fraternity and Sorority Life & Part-Time Instructor of Instructional Technology.
She previously knew of CREATE and established a partnership to allow Kennesaw State University students to assemble the bikes. Then, Community Baptist Church and Oconee Outfitters, long-time partners of CREATE, played a pivotal role in safety checking, preparing, and delivering the bikes to the board of education.
“We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our partners,” said Barnes. “The fraternity and sorority students put together the bikes, then Oconee Outfitters conducted a safety check, and then the bikes were presented to the Baldwin County Board of Education at Community Baptist Church,” said Gregory Barnes.
According to CREATE Program Director Toyia Barnes, the goal behind this donation was to keep the journey of cycling going from their classes to a lifelong activity.
“We are filling a gap and providing a way for the students who receive these bikes to have fun while exercising both in and out of school hours,” said Barnes. “The bikes donated can be ridden by elementary or middle school students and we have left it to the schools to determine who is most in need for this donation.”
Starting next semester, CREATE will return to Midway Hills Primary to teach students how to balance on bikes and begin their riding journey. In addition, they will be teaching bicycling basics at Baldwin High School.
To learn more about CREATE, visit createwithus. net/.