Do you remember your first bike? The wobble, the push, the moment someone let go and suddenly — freedom. I do. And I've watched what a bike can mean up close: some of the most meaningful miles of my life have been ridden next to my son, Doug. That feeling — joy, confidence, independence — shouldn't depend on whether a family can afford it.

That's why I'm riding 50 miles in the FB4K Gran Fondo on August 22.

FB4K collects donated bikes, refurbishes them, pairs each with a brand-new helmet, and gets them to kids who need them — more than 224,000 bikes so far, and over 100,000 right here in Minnesota. But so many more kids are still waiting.

Here's where you come in: about $35 puts one child on a bike with a helmet. Whatever you can give becomes a real kid, on a real bike, grinning down a real street.

And one more thing worth a quick check — many employers offer matching gift programs, so a two-minute email to your HR team could double your impact and put a second kid on a bike at no extra cost to you.

I Ride So They Can Ride. Thank you for helping them ride too.

You can signup here: https://www.bikereg.com/fb4k

Volunteer here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0548AAA92FA7F8CE9-64468047-free#/

I Ride So They Can Ride — because every kid deserves a first bike!