Four years ago, Kunkletown resident Todd Henshue started a hobby that makes kids and adults happy and makes him feel good, too.

He started refurbishing bicycles for young kids and teenagers and then giving them away on Saturdays at the Eldred Township Community Center.

“I thought Saturdays when people come to the food pantry, it might be a good place to bring the refurbished bikes,” said Henshue.

During the pandemic restrictions, to make sure kids could have a bicycle of their own, clients made an appointment to pick up one at the gymnasium in the community center.

Slow day

Since the weather is warmer, and people can be outside safely, he decided to load the bicycles on the back of his truck and take them up to the Eldred Township Community Center on one recent warm day to see if he could find any takers.

Only three bicycles went home with new owners that day, but it was worth it, according to Henshue. “Here are two kids that didn’t have a bike, and now they do,” he said.

Aunt Irene Marsdale babysits Nadia Qureshi and Dean Qureshi of Kunkletown on weekends for her niece, a nurse at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

“This is so great,” said Marsdale and added, “We were just driving by when I saw the sign. They have bikes at home, but they won’t fit in their mother’s car.”

It took a little time for Nadia and Dean to choose from the long row of bicycles of all makes, all colors, and sizes, but once they made up their mind, there was no going back - the grins from ear to ear made it obvious.

Henshue checked each bicycle to make sure it was safe before loading it the car, and they both needed to pick out a helmet before they could go.

He buys helmets and keeps them in the truck, and gives kids a free helmet when they choose a bicycle.

The last bicycle of the three went home with a young gentleman who was at the community center to drop off a food donation, but the pantry had just closed for the day.

The young man Kevin Smolark asked if the bicycles were for sale and Henshue said, “No they are free, and we have a couple of adult bikes here today.”

He looked down the row of shiny bikes with a look of amazement and walked over to a bicycle. “I had a bike like this, but it was old,” he said.

Politely he asked if he could try out the bicycle he first looked over. Henshue waved toward the parking lot and said, “Sure, try it out.”

It wasn’t long before Henshue was teaching Smolark how to take off the front wheel, so it would fit in his car.

As he drove away, waving, Smolark was another happy recipient of Henshue’s kindness.

In the past four years, Henshue has refurbished and given away over 100 bicycles.