Being polite, doing chores and homework, and even playing outside have earned local kids new bikes.
Since June, 15 Grade 5 students from across Timmins have been doing tasks to earn a new bike, with the last deed being held yesterday to pick up garbage in the community.
The Build a Bike campaign is run by Timmins Police in partnership with Canadian Tire.
To complete his tasks, 11-year-old Trevor Lamarche said he played outside a lot.
“I love playing outside. Some people think I like playing video games more than going to camp, but it’s the other way around - I love camp more,” he said.
Other tasks he said he did was cleaning the area for his Xbox, helping with the dishes and making the bed.
There's one lesson he'll take with him thanks to the initiative.
“Some adults are very impolite and I’m a polite person and I think I should carry mostly being polite,” he said.
This is the third year Timmins Police has offerd the program.
“We ask each of the schools in our community to put forth a name of a Grade 5 student who has made good choices throughout the entire year doing good deeds at home, doing good deeds at school because we like to recognize that partnership. There’s home, there’s school and there’s the police; it makes a triangle and we really like to recognize that," said Const. Bill Field.
He said often the kids making good choices aren't recognized for them.
"We wanted to make sure that at least some of them have the opportunity to be recognized for the good choices they make all year long,” Field said.
After cleaning up around the Timmins Museum yesterday for the final part of the program, participants were able to take their new rides home.
