Disadvantaged, abused and neglected children in Northern Colorado received nearly 400 donated bicycles in the 2008 holiday season through a program sponsored by Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. Bart Palmer, owner of the franchise business, says that doing good in the community contributes to a positive company culture that enhances the company’s success.
Presented by Realities for Children, a charitable organization that Palmer sponsors throughout the year, the annual bicycle giveaway project works with bike shops to gather and refurbish bicycles donated by area residents. On Dec. 13, almost 400 children selected their bicycles.
“These children are in very difficult situations and a bicycle represents more than just an opportunity for physical activity,” Palmer says. “A bike represents freedom. It gives the child a sense of independence – that he or she can go anyplace on his or her own power.”