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Scout rebuilds bikes, creates holiday cheer

Yuma boy plans to give them as Christmas gifts
BY SARAH REYNOLDS
SUN STAFF WRITER

Right now, 50 dilapidated bicycles that nobody would want sit in a pile in Kendrick McBride's backyard. But McBride plans to repair them into gifts that local chil­dren would be proud to ride. McBride is rebuilding and refurbishing the bicycles. When he is done, he plans to donate the finished products as gifts to local families during the holidays. "I'm going to take 50 old, beat-up bikes, fix them up and deliver them, about Christmas time, to families that can't provide pre­sents for their children," he said.

The Kofa High School junior took on this effort as part of his service in the Boy Scouts of America. McBride is working to become an Eagle Scout, the highest rank attain­able. Before he can earn this, he must plan, develop and lead a community service project. Those 50 broken-down bikes are McBride's Eagle Project, which is required to show lead­ership potential. "I didn't want to just plant trees or something," he said. "I wanted to do something to give back."

Robert Hawkey, the former chairman of Boy Scout Troop No. 7, signed off on McBride's project. "He came up with the idea along with some other people in our ward," Hawkey said. "Any type of Eagle Project generally has to service the community in some way, shape or form, and I think it did."

Hawkey said there are only three scouts in his troop in Yuma working on Eagle Projects. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout himself when he was a Boy Scout. He said most boys involved in the organization do not go the extra mile it takes to become one. "I think the statistics are 5 to 10 percent of all boys that start scouting make it through to Eagle Scout," Hawkey said. His son, Kyle Hawkey, 17, completed his project to become an Eagle Scout, but is still going through the necessary paper­work. He provided gifts and a Christmas party to an orphanage in San Luis Rio Colorado. Son, Jacob Dahl, 16, is also going through the process. He is in the beginning stages of selecting his project.

McBride says he has always been interested in fixing things. This seemed like a natural project choice for him. "I always fiddled around with bikes and mechanical stuff," he said. "I've always been good at putting stuff back together."

The Rotary Clubs of Yuma donated the bicycles to McBride, but he must do the repair work himself.

"I'm going to have to get the money to order all the parts," he said. "I'm going to need 100 new tubes, new grips and chains, new seats ... they'll need to be painted. All of that."

McBride has just over two months to get his work on the bicycles done. The Rotary Club will pick the families that will receive them as Christmas gifts. McBride says he is looking for assistance on the project, both financially and in labor.

"Even time for help would be great," he said. His family has set up an account for donations to the project, at AEA Federal Credit Union, under the name "Kendrick McBride Eagle Scout Fund."

Sarah Reynolds can be reached at sreynolds@yumasun.com or 539-6847.