Chains were put into place, frames were fitted and tires were filled with air at the Clark County Fairgrounds on Saturday as hundreds of volunteers put together bikes as part of an annual event honoring a “promise” made by an employee of Waste Connections more than a decade ago.
On Dec. 10, one of the exhibition halls at the fairgrounds was packed with people who took part in the 12th annual “Bike Build” hosted by Waste Connections. During the event, around 560 bikes were assembled, inspected by bike experts for quality and then prepared to be distributed to youth across Clark County.
The event was the idea of Scott Campbell, a former employee of Waste Connections who involved himself with community work up until his 2017 death.
“His passion for the holidays was to make sure every kiddo got a bike that wanted a bike,” Waste Connections Governmental and Community Affairs Director Cyndi Holloway said.
In a companywide questionnaire, Campbell said his most memorable Christmas gift was a bike, Holloway said. From there, the event came to fruition.
Volunteers come from all over the county, Holloway said. The first year started with about 20 volunteers, though there were around 200 volunteers at this year’s event.
The event hit a record 823 bikes in 2019 just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Holloway said. While restrictions were in place, she said Waste Connections hosted a drive-thru event where volunteers picked up bike kits they built at home. The finished bikes were later dropped off at specific locations.
“We still made the Christmas promise,” Holloway said.
When completed, the bikes are given to a number of local agencies that distribute them to youth. They include Friends of the Children, Educational Opportunities for Children and Families and Santa’s Posse among others.
Holloway noted the night prior to the main event, employees of Waste Connections took part in their own private build.
Holloway orders the bikes online through Walmart, funded through the Scott Campbell Christmas Promise fund. For 2022, she said it cost about $71,000.
Apart from recreation, the bikes provided can serve as transportation to sports practice or to jobs for older recipients, Holloway said.
Bike Clark County and Vancouver, and the Vancouver Bicycling Club provide quality control for the event as they ensure everything is put together correctly. Bike Clark County Executive Director Peter Van Tilburg said the organization, which runs a bike shop in downtown Vancouver, has been involved since the event’s inception.
Van Tilburg said the group’s participation “aligns perfectly in trying to get more bikes in the community,” offering another chance for group members to apply their experience in a charitable endeavor.
Holloway noted the event is a highlight every year for Waste Connections.
“It’s not just about building the bikes,” Holloway said. “It’s about coming together and seeing each other and enjoying this time.”
