First- and second-graders from Indian Peaks Elementary squealed with delight Tuesday afternoon when school and Can'd Aid staff revealed that they would be getting brand-new bikes all their own.
The 83-bike surprise is the third year that Can'd Aid — the philanthropic arm of Oskar Blues Brewery — has given away bikes to local children.
The bikes and matching helmets were labeled with name tags, and as staff members called each child up, one by one, they ran over to their bike and immediately tried to get on.
Oskar Blues sales representative Shannon McGrath introduced a little boy named Antonio to his new bike. He got to work on lowering the seat so he could mount the bike and McGrath had to stop him to adjust his helmet before he was riding along the sidewalk in front of the school.
The scene played out dozens more times as Indian Peaks students mounted bikes and got pedaling — some more wobbly than others. Parents held the handlebars as the first- and second-graders weaved in between the crowd.
Can'd Aid commissions the bikes through Oskar Blues' sister company, Reeb Cycles, and hosts a volunteer build night for community members to come to The Tasty Weasel and assemble the bikes.
Dale Katechis, founder of Oskar Blues, said that the bike builds and giveaways are some of his favorite events.
"It is, if not one of the most fun things we do in the community, certainly one of the most fulfilling," Katechis said between adjusting bike seats for kids on Tuesday. "You get to see these kids jump on a bike for the first time ... It's super fun. We make beer and sodas and coffee and bikes for a living and this makes it all worth it."
Indian Peaks student Brianna Avila-Sotello said the Can'd Aid bike was the first bike of her own that wasn't a hand-me-down.
"I learned to ride a bike since a long time ago because my sister had a bike, but it didn't fit me too good," said Avila-Sotello, peeking out underneath her new Can'd Aid-provided helmet with red and orange flames painted on the side.
Parent Socurro Guzman said in Spanish that she was elated that her daughter, Heydy Flores, would have a brand-new bicycle.
"I'm very content and very happy and thankful for the bike for her," Guzman said. "It's great that she will have a new bike ... for a kid, it's so important."
Indian Peaks Special Education Teacher Linda Bukatko echoed Guzman's sentiment.
"I'm so excited for them to have these bikes. They can cruise around. (It helps with) coordination, focus, attention, being proud of themselves and self-confidence," Bukatko said. "They can go outside and have so much fun in the summer. I'm just thrilled that Can'd Aid did this. It's fabulous and wonderful that they would do this for our school."
Karen Antonacci: 303-684-5226, antonaccik@times-call.com or twitter.com/ktonacci