We’re beyond thankful for KRD’s passion for kids’ bikes and commitment to increasing bike availability for Boulder’s kids!
We caught up with Dana, the founder of KRD Foundation, who is this year’s “Kids’ Champion” for the Kids Holiday Bike Giveaway. The Kid’s Champion is a person or organization that exceeds expectations in a few key areas: They have financially supported the program for 10+ years (Wow!), play a major role in voicing bike advocacy locally, and they continue to prioritize kids’ bike access 365 days/year through the ongoing foundation work across many groups and geographies.
We spent some time digging into why kids’ bikes are so important to Dana and the foundation. Enjoy!
Hey Dana, we are so grateful to have you and the KRD Foundation back in 2023 as major contributors to the program! Tell us about the passion behind KRD. Why is it important to get more kids on bikes?
When my brother passed away I was heartbroken. We were super close and I needed to find a way to heal and honor him. He loved riding his bike and sharing the outdoors with others. We had been doing that since we were kids. He used to fix up bikes in the neighborhood and knew the joy, freedom, and confidence you can get just by riding a bike.
KRD’s mission is to make cycling accessible for everyone but especially focusing on kids. It can be life-changing for a kid to have a bike.
Supporting the community you live and work in is critical to supporting access to resources, and in our case, access to affordable bikes. How does this fit in with KRD’s culture and long-term vision?
Affordable bikes can make all the difference. We champion this cause because when we get more kids on bikes, we know a few things are likely to happen. It leads to a healthier kid – they exercise which leads to greater cardiovascular and muscular health. There’s almost an immediate impact on their emotional well-being and they are ultimately less stressed, which equals more smiles. Equally as important, having a bike leads to improved social skills and eases the ability to make friends, communicate within a social group, voice opinions, and start to form bonds. In short, bikes enable healthier kids to build community.
What else do you want the community to know about KRD?
I donated a kidney to my brother in 2007. The donation allowed him to live a full and physically fit life where he spent most of his free time riding his mountain bike. We continue to raise awareness of the life-saving gift of organ donation. I like to think of it like this — everyone needs to be a part of the community and give what they can. Do you know what else can save or transform someone’s life? A bicycle. We’re committed to putting more kids on bikes both locally and around the mountain west region and feel like we’re just getting started!
~~ Dana D.
