Bob the Bike Man teams up with local scouts to help those in need

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - On Saturday, local girl scouts along with the 4-H Club of Hampden County partnered up with “Bob the Bike Man” to distribute backpacks, containing supplies, and winter coats, to low-income families and people in need.

Bob Charland, fondly known as “Bob the Bike Man” is also the founder of Pedal Thru Youth, fixing up bikes to donate to less fortunate kids.

This and that 4H club of Hampden County, “It is important to help people because sometimes it is not their fault because sometimes, they don’t have the ability to help themselves or to get food and snacks and warm blankets.”

Charland expressed that although this is not their first backpack program, it is certainly their biggest, “We’ve been doing this for years but this time we decided to bring all these service organizations together and bring these supplies to law-enforcement all over Massachusetts and Connecticut.”

After the backpacks are loaded up, local police departments stop by to pick them up and hand them out to those who need it most in western Mass and south of the border.

Jim Barrett, one of the homeless outreach officers said, “This frigid temperature with the coats and the book bags and hygiene equipment inside, this is going to be crucial for these guys.”

This is also a way for kids to see the impact officers like Jim Barrett and how others have on their communities.

Charland explained that “It’s not only showing that the kids can do community service to help others but it’s showing the positive side of law-enforcement. Many of these men and women out there have for the communities that they serve.”

As a message from Sadie, one of the girl scouts, on how you can get involved, “We could all be doing good stuff too.”

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