Kids don't choose their parents, or where they live, or how food gets on the table. Most of us rarely actually see, much less interact with kids who have had a very disadvantageous life thrust upon them. But when you do, the realization that something needs to be done is often overpowering. Sue Runsvold, a nurse, was compelled some eight years ago to take action. Her idea was that poor kids in Santa Clara County would be helped in a big way if only they had a bike of their own. Now, 20,000 new bikes later, that brave idea--TurningWheels for Kids (TWFK)--is truly helping to change lives. And DPR's San Jose office is now in their fourth year of providing significant financial help through DPR Foundation financial grants as well as an impressive number of hours volunteered for both building new bikes and working directly with the kids, teaching them how to keep this simple yet empowering machine in good running order.

Last weekend, I visited the annual Bike Build effort next to the San Jose Convention Center and was truly blow away. The DPR team of a dozen folks was one of many teams totaling 1,000 dedicated folks assembling 2,600 bicycles of all sizes. And a bunch of the kids who were representative of those who will receive the bikes were there as well.

As I left the Build, Mike Humphrey was completing his seventh bike assembly and it was only 11:30am! In addition to the Bike Build and the clinics, our Scott Greubel and Phil Bartkowski serve on the TWFK board and play a much needed role in helping the effort grow while maintaining the focus of impact on kids' lives (not just the bike gift alone).

DPR is justly very proud.

-Peter