LÉVIS, Québec (BRAIN) — Distributor Hawley-Lambert was among the supporters of last weekend's Big Bike Build in San Jose, California, where nearly 1,000 volunteers planned to assemble 2,500 bikes for a holiday season campaign. A dozen Hawley-Lambert employees planned to take part in the event, which TurningWheels for Kids' marquee annual charitable event.

"TurningWheels for Kids is an organization I've personally supported for several years," says Pat McGinnis, the vice president of commercial at Hawley-Lambert. "The year-round work they do to get kids on bikes is relevant to our industry, and Hawley-Lambert's support of the organization adds meaning to the work we do — it reminds us of the freedom, independence and joy a bike brings to kids."

Close to 900 of this year's Big Bike Build bicycles came from the company's EVO brand, including Rock Ridge kid's bikes in a custom silver and green color, Grand Rapid hybrid models and Palmetto beach cruisers. Through its partnership with TurningWheels for Kids, Hawley-Lambert has supplied EVO bicycles to the organization for nearly a year.

"Achieving our mission of encouraging lifelong habits of exercise, outdoor activity and independence among children is much easier with the right partners," said Susan Runsvold, the founder and board member of TurningWheels for Kids. "Our ability to quickly and affordably source high-quality bicycles through the EVO brand, which Hawley-Lambert warehouses for us at no additional charge, has allowed our organization to maximize every dollar, which means more bikes for more kids."

This past August, 250 EVO Rock Ridge kid's bikes were assembled and donated to kids in at-risk neighborhoods across San Jose through a partnership between the San Jose Sharks hockey team and TurningWheels for Kids. Through corporate builds like this and the annual Big Bike Build, the organization expects to give away more than 6,000 bikes annually. More information at turningwheelsforkids.org.