TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

The looks on the children's faces said it all: pure joy. Not an hour earlier those same faces mirrored determined concentration as they learned how to repair the same bikes they were now riding.

Ideally, every child should have a bike growing up, but the reality is not all families can afford one. In 2007, the Bakersfield Recreation & Parks Department created the Build-A-Bike program to meet that need.

"We saw a need for kids in the neighborhood to have a bike," said Linda McVicker, recreation supervisor for the City of Bakersfield Recreation & Parks Department at

the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center. "We wanted to create a new program to help them."

As it turned out, the property room at the Bakersfield Police Department contained several unclaimed stolen bikes in need of repair that could be donated. Add discounted parts and materials from Snider's Cyclery and an instructor from Bike Bakersfield, and a community partnership was born.

"As soon as my bike is done, I'm gonna help Joe with the other bikes," said Teddy Hunter, 9, as bikes were being repaired in a converted shower room at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center. "I like putting the chain back on best. I got to use a tool that helped put it right on."

Teddy was one of several apron-clad children gathered around Joe O'Grady, the contract bike class instructor.

McVicker acknowledged that O'Grady is "like the Pied Piper ... before he gets here, all we hear is, 'is Joe coming today?'"

Indeed, the kids paid rapt attention to O'Grady as he patiently helped each one with their bike.

"This is a lot like working in a bike shop where you get to fix your own bike," said O'Grady, as he handed a new valve stem to Darius Johnson, 11, one of his students. "We learn by doing and working together with our hands. Little by little, Darius has been customizing his bike to make it look nice ... it's all about aesthetics."

The bike Darius was working on had two flat tires, a broken chain and needed a new seat. As the 11-year-old diligently worked at replacing the chain and tires, he said, "My favorite part is putting the tire on. I picked my bike because it has black tires. ... I came to find a bike 'cause it's boring to just sit around all day. I don't want to watch TV all the time."

According to Pilar Colunga, recreation coordinator, about 100 kids are matched with bikes each year. The program is limited to those from ages 9 to 13.

"We had a 12-year-old graduate come in to tell us his brother had just turned 9 and wanted to know if he could get on our waiting list. The list has about 40 kids ... they can be on it for a couple of months before it's their turn."

Funding is the one thing that holds the program back. As it stands, the year-round program runs only four days a week with four to five kids per class. Each child is required to attend seven classes before they get to take their chosen bike home. Plus, there are costs for chains, tires, rims, bike helmets and other bike parts.

"We could help more kids if we had money to add one more class," McVicker said.

The last 15 minutes of class time was spent riding bikes in the parking lot near the play area under O'Grady's watchful eye.

"The smiles on their faces speak more eloquently than anything I could say. It is a pleasure and an honor to work here," he said.

-- Maureen Buscher-Dang is a Bakersfield public relations professional.