FORT SMITH (KFSM)- Wes Brown has been collecting bicycles and giving them to kids in the River Valley after he reached out on social media for a loaner bicycle while he repaired his son's, but he ended up with way more bicycles than he expected.
"I take all the bikes; new, old, roached out," Wes said. "If I can't use them, I take the parts off of the totally busted ones and I'll put them on the little bit better ones and I just Frankenstein my bikes together and poof, we got a happy kid riding a bicycle down the road."
Wes fixes up the bikes for kids like Boston Whisenhunt, who don't have a bike of their own.
"I think it's really cool," Boston said. "I've never actually had one that could switch the gears. I just always rode my older brother's bike."
With his handy toolbox, Wed cleans chains and replaces parts.
"Once I get done, there will be one happy kid," Wes said.
Already having donated 25 bikes, Wes said he's having a blast with the project.
"That's almost close to 20 families that couldn't afford to buy bicycles for their kids," Wes said. "Times are hard and if I can make it easier on a family, the that's the way to do it."
Now, Boston along with many other local kids, can hit the pavement on their bike.
"I haven't rode a bike in a really long time," Boston said. "I'm just glad I still know how to ride it."
Wes said the kids in his neighborhood along with his son help test drive the bikes once they're fixed.
You can drop off your bicycle donations at Orr Maxx Pre-Owned on the corner of Zero and Towson Ave. in Fort Smith through Saturday (May 13).
For more information about bicycles donations or Bikes For Kids, visit the project's Facebook page.