WEST CHESTER — Elves of all ages gathered at Pine Street Carpenters in West Chester on a recent Saturday for a day of bike-building as the remodeling firm held its annual kick-off to the holiday season: The 100 Wheels Project.

First started by Pine Street in 2008, this community initiative has put over 1,300 bikes into the hands of children throughout the region just in time for the holidays. In one Saturday, volunteers assembled 109 bikes and wrapped helmets to accompany each one.

Pine Street works with local non-profit agencies — and Santa Claus — to help get these bikes into the community. Community partners this year include the Friends Association for the Care and Protection of Children, Family Service of Chester County, The Care Center, and Saint Agnes Day Room, all of West Chester; Home of the Sparrow (Exton); People’s Pantry at Church Road (Malvern); Norristown Area High School; and Upper Darby School District.

Over 100 volunteers — Pine Street employees and their families, clients, industry partners and community members — worked throughout the day at Pine Street’s workshop. Bikes were assembled, helmets were wrapped, and scarves and winter gloves were tied to each bike. A crew of bike mechanics fine-tuned each bike built by the volunteer elves, holiday music played, and good cheer was had by all.

“This project comes together thanks to the support of so many,” said Brendon Dolan, owner of Pine Street Carpenters. “Our non-profit partners, our staff, clients and industry partners, volunteers from throughout the community. It is their combined generosity and spirit that helps us provide Christmas smiles to so many families each year.”

Each year Pine Street Carpenters, The Kitchen Studio and Pine Street Construction provide over 100 new bicycles to deserving children in the region.

Through its partner non-profit agencies, the organization identifies families who could use a helping hand to provide the ultimate gift to their children — a brand new bike. Once the bikes are purchased, volunteers gather together with friends and the community for a festive bike-building party, assembling over 100 bikes in just a few hours. The bikes are then delivered to partner non-profits, who in turn pass them along to deserving families just in time for the holidays.

The success of Pine Street’s bike-build hinges not only on its non-profit partners and bike-building volunteers, but also on Pine Street’s friends, clients, and industry partners, many of whom sponsor a bike for 100 Wheels Project or come out to help assemble bikes at the bike-build.

Local businesses supporting the bike-build this year include Signal Service, Chapman Windows and Doors, Brothers Pizza, O’Rourke and Sons, Sage and Sons, Mop Ups Cleaning Services, and Windles’ Water Works, all of West Chester; Marvel Masonry of West Grove; and Harmony Heating of Kennett Square. Bike helmets for the event were provided through a grant from Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children.

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