Bicycle donations keep coming

COEUR d'ALENE - The community's generosity keeps on rolling.

With donations in hand, 11-year-old Kristian Parrett plans on making good this weekend on giving new bicycles away.

Parrett knows the joy of having a new bike and the disappointment when it's gone. He prefers the former, which is why he's donating $320 worth of new bicycles to Children's Village this weekend.

"He wants to help make some other kids happy," said Kristian's mom, Stacey Sprock. "I was really happy with the people who gave to Kristian and helped him out."

Kristian is the boy whose bike was stolen at the end of August, after he labored all summer to earn enough money to buy it. It was stolen hours after he purchased it, and an article in The Press about his misfortune led to dozens of donations.

Walmart in Hayden replaced his $100 bike the day the story ran. The store also gave one to his sister. A gentleman bought another bike for Kristian that day, too, and they delivered it to Children's Village. Money was dropped off, and came through the mail.

Now, the family has $300, and it is buying more bikes this weekend.

Kristian, who's joining a bicycle club, says he just wants to share the feeling of having a new two-wheel ride with other kids.

"It's extra special for the kids to ride a new bike, what a cool kid to think of that," said Janie Givas, development director, for Children's Village, the nonprofit that opens its doors to abused, neglected and homeless children.

The home needs the bikes too, Janie said, as the ones they have, other than the one Kristian already donated, constantly need repair.

"Not that many kids would stop and think of other children," she said. "They'd think about what they could get for themselves."

Thanks to community support, Kristian has more than he can handle. The one bike he kept for himself, he's keeping a close eye on.

"He's been riding it every day," his mom said. "And he's been very good about locking it up every day."

More mail should be coming Kristian's way shortly.

After the donation, the kids at Children's Village plan to flood his mailbox with thank you cards, Janie said.