IN NEED. KNOW NORMALLY YOU THINK OF SURF CITY AND YOU THINK OF PEOPLE COMING HERE AND DROPPING OFF FOOD ITEMS LIKE SOUP AND PEANUT BUTTER, BUT NOW THEY COULD DROP OFF BICYCLES IT ALL STARTED WITH ROU STORY ON RANDY BOWLING BOWLING IS DISABLED AND HIS BICYCLE ISIS H ONLY FORM OF TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM WORK AT WALMART IN FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP LAST WEEKEND. HIS BIKE WAS STOLEN. HEY YOUR NEWS STORY WAS BARELY OVER ON THE ON THE TV. I WAS WATCHING IT WHEN MY PHONE STARTED RINGING. PEOPLE ASKING, HOW CAN I HELP I KNEW ALL IMMEDIATELY. THIS HAD SUCTRK A CHORD THAT LINE THAT RANDY SAID THIS MADE MY LIFE HARDER. IT WAS THE BIG THING THAT STRUCK ME AND SO I JUST THINKEOPLE P HEARD THAT AND PEOPLE SAID THIS THIS IS NOT OKAY. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DAVID HOOD IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SURF CITYND A HAMILTON THE ORGANIZATION THAT OWNS THE APARTMENTS WHEREAN RDY BOWLING LIVES KNOWING RANDY WAS TAKING CARE OF THANKS TO GENEROUS GIFTS FROM OUR VIEWERS. HOOD CREATED A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO HELP OTHERS LIKE RANDY. THISS I PROBABLY NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN UNFORTUNATELY MIGHT NOT BE THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENS. AND SO WE’RE SETTING UP A FUND CALLED A BIKE MATCHING FUND. THEY’RE COLLECTING BIKES OR PREFERABLY MONEY TO OFFER RESIDENTS AS A MATCHING FUND. AND SO IF THEY ARE ABLE TO COME UP WHIT DOLLARS WILL MATCH $50 FOR THEM TO GET A BIKE. WE KWNO BIKES AROUND HERE ARE A MAJOR SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR EMPLOYMENT FOR DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENTS FOR THERAPY FOR ADDICTION RECOVERY ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS GETTING AROUND TO THOSE THINGS ARE CRITICAL TO OUR SIREDENTS A INDF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE WE HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND AIN LK ON OUR WEBSITE WLWT.

Bike-matching fund aimed at giving those in need a hand up

Updated: 6:40 PM EST Nov 12, 2021

WLWT viewers gave from their hearts, and it's making a difference.This week, WLWT introduced you to Randy Bowling of Hamilton. Bowling is disabled, and his bicycle is his only form of transportation to and from work at Walmart in Fairfield Township.Last weekend, his bicycle was stolen."Your news story was barely over on the TV. I was watching it when my phone started ringing," said David Hood, executive director of Serve City. "I knew immediately this had struck a cord ... That line that Randy said, 'This made my life harder,' it was the big thing that struck me, and I think people heard that and said this is not OK. We need to do something." Serve City is the organization that owns the apartments where Bowling lives.Knowing Bowling was taken care of thanks to generous gifts from WLWT viewers, Hood created a way for people to help others like Bowling."This is probably not the first time this has happened, and unfortunately, might not be the last time it happens, and so we are setting up a fund called a 'Bike Matching Fund,' Hood said.They're collecting bicycles, or preferably money, to offer residents as a matching fund."So, if they're able to come up with $50, we'll match $50 dollars for them to get a bike," Hood said. "Bikes around here are a major source of transportation for employment, for doctors appointments, for therapy, for addiction recovery, all of those things, getting around to those things are critical to our residents." Donations can be made here. Any donations that include "BIKE" in the memo will go toward bicycles and locks to those in need of transportation.https://www.classy.org/give/313609/#!/donation/checkout

HAMILTON, Ohio —

WLWT viewers gave from their hearts, and it's making a difference.

This week, WLWT introduced you to Randy Bowling of Hamilton. Bowling is disabled, and his bicycle is his only form of transportation to and from work at Walmart in Fairfield Township.

Last weekend, his bicycle was stolen.

"Your news story was barely over on the TV. I was watching it when my phone started ringing," said David Hood, executive director of Serve City. "I knew immediately this had struck a cord ... That line that Randy said, 'This made my life harder,' it was the big thing that struck me, and I think people heard that and said this is not OK. We need to do something."

Serve City is the organization that owns the apartments where Bowling lives.

Knowing Bowling was taken care of thanks to generous gifts from WLWT viewers, Hood created a way for people to help others like Bowling.

"This is probably not the first time this has happened, and unfortunately, might not be the last time it happens, and so we are setting up a fund called a 'Bike Matching Fund,' Hood said.

They're collecting bicycles, or preferably money, to offer residents as a matching fund.

"So, if they're able to come up with $50, we'll match $50 dollars for them to get a bike," Hood said. "Bikes around here are a major source of transportation for employment, for doctors appointments, for therapy, for addiction recovery, all of those things, getting around to those things are critical to our residents."

Donations can be made here. Any donations that include "BIKE" in the memo will go toward bicycles and locks to those in need of transportation.

https://www.classy.org/give/313609/#!/donation/checkout

With his laces tied tightly, Randy Bowling said he's ready to walk to work if he has to.The nearly four-mile trek each way — from his apartment in Hamilton to Walmart in Fairfield Township — isn't ideal for the 50-year-old, who is also disabled. Bowling suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was 16.That's one of the reasons he bought a $157 bicycle a few months ago."It's the first bike I ever bought myself," Bowling said. He was proud of it. Now, it's gone.It was stolen from outside Party Mart Express in Hamilton Saturday night.Store security video shows Bowling walking his bike close to the front doors after his shift at Walmart.He's in the East Avenue store for less than a minute before a man rides up on another bike, grabs Bowling's bicycle and rides off with it.Bowling walks out in disbelief."He's made my life harder," Bowling said. Bowling lives alone at the Serve City apartments. He said he needs his job to pay bills, and the bus isn't always an option."When we had heard, it just broke our hearts. Our residents struggle with so many other life issues, to have something like this happen is a real challenge," said David Hood, executive director of Serve City. Neighbor Brenda Stevens called what happened unacceptable in her neighborhood."It's just aggravating. I don't know why people do it. It's selfish," Stevens said.Other neighbors have expressed frustration and support."There's a lot of people that care. If I had a bike, I'd give it to him," said neighbor Andrew Yeager. Bowling said even though he should be angry, he'd rather talk to the guy who snatched his bike and help him get a job.