In Twin Falls, getting around without a personal vehicle can be a daily obstacle. A local volunteer effort is changing that reality by fixing up donated bicycles and handing them out for free to neighbors who lack reliable transportation.
Free For All Bikes program
The initiative, called Free For All Bikes, meets each Wednesday in the basement of the First United Methodist Church. Pastor Bo Sanders, who launched the effort earlier this year, said the program has already distributed 180 bicycles – a number that “just surpassed my wildest expectations.”
Sanders explained that the priority is to place bikes with people who need them to get to work, school or essential appointments. “If you are a working person, but you either don’t have a car or you don’t have a license, getting around here is actually really difficult,” he said.
Volunteer work and repairs
Volunteer Dennis Bortz spends most Wednesdays at the church, tinkering with the incoming donations. He noted that many bikes require only a little oil on the chain or minor brake adjustments, while others need more extensive work. “Some of them don’t need much work and just a little bit of oil on the chains or a little bit of adjustments of the brakes and the shifters,” Bortz said. He described a recent repair where both the front and rear derailleur systems were frozen and required a full cleaning.
“I’m not an expert, I just like to tinker and help out the program,” Bortz added.
Ongoing giveaways
The group currently hands out five to ten bikes each week, even in November. Their first large giveaway took place on Memorial Day, when 35 bicycles were distributed. Since then, demand has remained strong, with many residents expressing gratitude for a reliable, cost‑free mode of transportation.
“Mobility and the ability to have the freedom to get places—whether that’s the grocery store, an appointment, or just to exercise—is an empowering thing,” Sanders said.
Upcoming events
Free For All Bikes is planning a work party this Saturday, November 14, from 8 a.m. to noon, to prepare children’s bicycles for a special Christmas giveaway. Volunteers are welcome to join and help ensure that even the youngest residents have a bike to ride during the holidays.
The program exemplifies the power of community service in Twin Falls, offering practical assistance that aligns with the city’s values of self‑reliance, family support, and neighborly generosity.
Original reporting: KIVI Idaho News 6 Boise metro (local) — read the source article.
