NORFOLK, Va. — A group in Norfolk has created a bicycling club for kids to go to after school.
At Hund's Recycle Factory, owner Andrew Hund said that he wants kids to have a safe place to have fun and hang out with friends.
“Honestly, this bike shop was a childhood vision and now it’s turned into a reality,” said Hund. Hund started a club called “Bikes Not Beef” for teens in Hampton Roads.
“I care about these kids. I'm proud of them all and they struggle sometimes in the neighborhood that they live in,” said Hund.
The kids meet after school and learn how to fix bikes from bike professionals like Karl Ruegsegger.
"A large part of it is just the bikes and fixing up old stuff, and making it work,” said Ruegsegger.
Kids like seventh-grader Jamel Jones spend every day at the shop.
"I don't like anything else now, because riding bikes keep me off the streets, from selling drugs, and any stuff like that,” said Jamel. He said that riding gives him a feeling of pride.
"It's just like, everybody's looking at you and you feel good. Like, I can do this.”
Jamel started telling his friends about the club and now other kids like Malik Jenkins also go every day.
"He told me about it first and I started telling other people, and then everybody started coming here,” said Malik. High school senior, Joseph Diggs said that each week he travels from Virginia Beach to ride.
"Words can't describe how amazing it is. If it wasn't for bikes honestly, I don't know where I'd be,” Joseph said. He added said that his favorite part is when the club rides together around Norfolk on Wednesdays.
"It's a rush of just pure happiness and nothing else is on my mind but the bikes and the group of kids that are with me,” he said.
Everything the bike shop has is made possible through donations and bike parts that JBI Bike gives to the club.
"Happy to give parts to Andy and his program to help out and keep the kids fresh and in the street riding safely,” said Aaron Edlerr, a JBI worker.
As for Hund, he said he hoped more kids would join the club in the future.
"I’m just happy to be here, this is just my gift to be able to give the world is a bike."