Introducing Billie Jo Glavin, your BANK VI Hero of the Week!

Billie was nominated for her involvement with Salina Kids on Bikes. Salina Kids on Bikes is a program that takes donated bikes, repairs them if needed, and then gives them to kids and adults that need them. The program was started in 2013 and gave 75 bikes away in that first year alone. In 2014, over 275 bikes in 5 in Kansas counties were given away.

Earlier this year, the program was on the verge of ending due to personal reasons of its creator. Billie stepped up and took it over.

She set up an appointment with the creator and made arrangements to pick up on all of the bicycles and parts he had. She spent an entire Sunday with help from volunteers and loaded up two overflowing trailers and two overflowing pickup trucks. A few weeks later, she got to work on the bikes. She knew then that this was what she meant to do.

Billie get bikes donated almost everyday, but most of them need parts that over time get damaged or broken such as seats, grips, pedals, chains, and tubes. Those parts are often donated to the program as well. In 2015, the program has given 30 bikes away with a goal to give away 300 or more before the end of the year.

For Billie, its all about helping children. “To see the kids smile is my favorite part”, she stated. “It’s a new journey in life and I wouldn’t change it”.

If you know someone that gives back to our community or goes that extra mile to make our community a better place, nominate that extraordinary individual for Hero of the Week by clicking here!