Over 300 ECISD 2nd Graders received a brand new bike

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ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) -Christmas came a little early for 2nd graders at three ECISD elementary schools.

Over 300 students at Cavazos, Cameron, and West Elementary received bikes thanks to Occidental Petroleum and Wish for Wheels.

Wish for Wheels has been around for the last 18 years giving out over 75,000 bikes to 2nd graders who live in underprivileged areas.

Brad Appel the founder of Wish for Wheels wanted to make sure all kids had the same privilege of having a bike and experiencing the independence he had as a kid.But he began to wonder what children from low-income families did and how families afforded bikes when they were struggling to pay the grocery bill.

Whether it was riding to our friend’s house or the park we can give kids freedom no matter what generation they grew up in.

“Bikes are a huge symbol of freedom and independence for kids. It’s that first bike ride to school with your friends, parking your bike in your friend’s front yard over the summer, things that every kid should experience. It’s a part of growing up, it’s a right of passage and every kid deserves a bike” said Jerry Farmer, Build Give manager for Wish for Wheels

OXY saw this as an opportunity to give back to the community that’s been so good to them.“Our employees live and work in this community and we love our students at Ector County ISD. We enjoy the opportunity to be able to come out and see them and the impact of them receiving a bicycle and new helmet of their own gives them autonomy and gives them freedom” Shelly Williams, Oxy Community relations and employee engagement in Permian Basin

And of course, the students couldn’t wait to get on their bikes and enjoy that little bit of freedom their new bikes offered them.

“Riding it, showing my mom that I learned how to ride my bike” Damian Soto, 2nd Grader at Cavazos Elementary

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