boys & girls club of las vegas
As an event at our All Company Meeting, October 22, 2006 our team assembled 14 bikes to give to children involved in the Boys and Girls Club program of Las Vegas. That day, while we were learning and growing together as a team, we met an incredible gentleman named J. Willis. J. works at a REI, a local bike shop in the Las Vegas Valley. He volunteered his time to double check our bike assembly skills and make sure that the bikes were road ready for the 14 lucky kids who were about to receive them. Below, we have included a letter J. wrote that day and gave to us to share. No better explanation of the day could be given.
10/17/06
Today I got the chance to help out a group called Rapport Leadership International. Going into this, I knew was that I was going to check over a bunch of children bikes to make sure that they were safe for the kids to ride. What I didn't know was that I was about to be in the presence of some of the most energized people I had ever met.
When I walked into the building, and into the main room where everyone was, I thought I was in the wrong place for a minute. I saw 14 groups of about five to six people each, in separate huddles around the very large room. All of their eyes were closed, and there was a gentleman in the middle of the room talking to them about changing lives for the better. He was so positive and pumped; it was almost impossible not to listen to him. He spoke about how cool it would be to have the chance to impact someone's life. someone maybe less fortunate than yourself. Incredible energy filled the room.
Now, none of the people in this room besides myself, the gentleman speaking, and the lady that greeted me at the door knew that they were going to be building bikes for some needy kids. As the man kept speaking, and the groups listened intently with their eyes still closed, two people quietly slid bike boxes next to each group. The speaker came to a close by telling them that they were about to have a chance to change someone's life in a positive way, to really make a difference. They were instructed to open their eyes and look beside them to see what was about to take place. Now, I love getting excited about bikes, especially kids' bikes, but I have to tell you I was totally blown away by the earthquake of excitement that erupted throughout the room when they realized what was going on. Within an instant, cardboard was flying everywhere; packing foam covered the floor, and about 50 of the happiest big kids I have ever seen set about building bikes!
For the next hour I interacted with all the groups and helped them figure out where everything went, making sure to let them do as much as possible. The vibe in that room was so incredible you could have felt it from miles away. None of them knew who the bikes where for, or where they were going after they were done. All they knew was that someone needed some help, needed an uplifting moment in their life, needed to be reminded that some people in this world really do still care.
As each group started to finish with their bikes, I went around and made sure that everything was correct. As all the groups appeared to be done, the main speaker asked them all to take a seat, handed them each a note pad and asked every one of them to write a letter to the recipient of the bike. I scurried around the room finishing the adjustments on all the bikes as bodies everywhere intently wrote like it was the last thing they would ever do. As I finished with the bikes (which they did a great job on by the way) they came to the conclusion of their letters. They talked and shared what they had written in the letters and it was one of the most touching things I have ever listened to. So much love and passion was put into everything they wrote, and true sincerity was in every word they spoke. It truly brought a tear to my eye.
What they didn't know was that in about five minutes, 14 kids from the local Boy's and Girl's Club were going to show up - the kids that these bikes were intended for. These were the kids of the month from the club, who also had no idea what was going on, or were they were going. When the kids showed up, and walked into the room, the feeling was truly unbelievable. Tears ran down the faces of every single person in that room (myself included) at the sight of the surprised children. The smiles on those kids' faces were so big that they could have lit the darkest place on earth, and that so transpired to the faces of everyone there. It was breathtaking, amazing, incredible and a hundred other words to describe the coolest thing you have ever seen. All the kids picked out which bikes they liked. I made sure that the proper final adjustments were made to best fit them to their bikes. As I did, the groups interacted with the kids like they were their own; finding out everything they could in the short time they had, and loving every second of it. Each group had a helmet that matched the bike, which they all signed and presented to the kids. Everyone was so happy - it was surreal; it felt like a dream. The only way I knew it was real was because my mouth hurt from smiling so much!
Now it was time for the best part (at least my favorite)! We took all the kids outside and get them on their bikes.YEAH! All through the parking lot nothing was heard but absolute excitement. Little kids going nuts, big kids going nuts, I was going nuts - it was amazing! We hung out with everyone outside for about an hour until it was time for the kids to get back to the club, which indecently came to soon. They pilled into their van, we pilled the bikes into the other van, and off they went. I really must say that I had the most wonderful day!!
I felt incredibly privileged to be apart of something so awesome, and thanked everyone there for allowing me the honor and privilege of being able to experience it with them. I wanted to make sure that they knew that it wasn't just the life of those kids that they changed, it was mine as well, and I will be forever grateful.
J. Willis