photo by: Contributed/Steve Tilford Foundation

The Lawrence-based Steve Tilford Foundation is fundraising for a new program that would give second graders at eight schools in Lawrence a free bike and helmet.

A foundation created for a Kansas biking legend hopes to find ways to give back to Lawrence children by gifting them the freedom and confidence that comes from learning to ride a bike.

The Steve Tilford Foundation is currently raising funds for a new “Let’s Ride” program, which would provide second graders in the eight Title I elementary schools in Lawrence with their very own bicycle and helmet. Title I schools receive additional federal funding based on what portion of the students qualify for a free or reduced school lunch program. The eight Title I elementary schools in Lawrence are Cordley Elementary School, Hillcrest Elementary School, New York Elementary School, Prairie Park Elementary School, Schwegler Elementary School, Sunflower Elementary School, Sunset Hill Elementary School, and Woodlawn Elementary School.

The foundation was created by friends and family of Tilford, a champion mountain biker from Kansas who was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 2000, in November 2020 — three years after Tilford was tragically killed in a car accident.

Kent Woermann, the program and development director for the organization, told the Journal-World that while Tilford was a “legend in the sport,” he was constantly mentoring young riders and finding ways to give back to the community. This type of initiative is a way to continue his legacy.

photo by: Contributed

Kent Woermann, the program and development director for the Steve Tilford Foundation.

Woermann said the foundation hopes to raise $100,000 for the Let’s Ride program, which would see it fully funded and provide a bike and helmet to every second grader across the eight Title I schools in Lawrence. That would cover the estimated number of second graders then, which should be between 425 to 500 students, according to Woermann.

Woermann said the mission of Let’s Ride is to remove barriers for young kids and give them a way to learn new skills because “You have to have a bike in order to learn how to ride a bike.” Learning to ride a bike can lead to more than just a new way for kids to move. Woermann said it creates more opportunities for physical activity, provides a sense of achievement and ownership and “opens up the door” for children to see the wider community. And of course, it can be a lot of fun.

“Nothing feels better than learning to ride a bike and letting it rip down a hill,” Woermann said. “You feel like you’re flying. It’s empowering, and it builds confidence.”

photo by: Contributed

A bicycle for kids made by the bike company Retrospec called the Koda is seen here. It is the type of bike that the Steve Tilford Foundation would buy for second graders in Lawrence through its “Let’s Ride” program.

As of June 24, the foundation has raised just under $25,000 — about one quarter of the way to the full goal. Woermann said along with asking for individual donations, the foundation is hosting a gravel cycling festival in September called the “STF Epic” where portions of the entry fees go to fundraise for its initiatives.

Woermann hopes the Let’s Ride initiative can get fully off the ground in Lawrence, but he hopes it can eventually reach further to other communities. Additionally, he said that it might not get the full picture of need based on the Title I school model. Not every kid at a Title I school needs a new bike and helmet, while other students at non-Title I schools could need them, Woermann said, so the foundation hopes it can spread to all 11 schools in Lawrence in the near future.

The foundation also doesn’t want to just hand out the bikes and “say good luck” to the kids, Woermann said. The foundation hopes to find ways to work in the community to expand access for bike infrastructure so children can be safe on bikes. He said the foundation has talked with Safe Routes to Schools, but he hopes to continue building relationships with local organizations to make sure the bikes don’t just gather dust.

“It takes a village to make that (biking) community complete, and we want to be a part of that as best we can,” Woermann said.

For information about the foundation and a link to donate, you can visit the foundation’s website.