Dbacks and Boys and Girls Club are giving away new bicycles

Story submitted by Jayla French. Sports360az summer intern and proud student of Arizona State Sun Devil Cronkite School

The room was filled with beaming smiles as the Arizona Diamondbacks, Blue Sky Pest Control and the City of Mesa Fire Department and Bicycle and Pedestrian Program surprised 80 children with brand new bikes on Friday.

Each year a different branch of the Boys and Girls Club of the Valley takes turns giving gifts to the children, and this year it was the Grant Woods branch in Mesa.

Two Arizona Diamondbacks players were there to help hand out the bikes: pitcher Brandon Pfaadt and shortstop Blaze Alexander.

The bikes were assembled earlier this week by pitchers Bryce Jarvis and Ryne Nelson at Chase Field with help from volunteers from the Diamondbacks and Blue Sky Pest Control.

In addition to the bicycles distributed, the City of Mesa Bicycle and Pedestrian Program and the Mesa Fire Department provided safety instructions that emphasized the proper way to wear a helmet.

The children had the opportunity to choose helmets and bicycles of their choice.

The Mesa Bicycle and Pedestrian Program also taught the children how to ride their new bikes and, with assistance from Pfaadt and Alexander, conducted safety drills on the club’s indoor basketball court.

Tim Emory, Director of Major Gifts for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley, expressed the impact such an event has on the club.

“The primary reason the Boys and Girls Club exists is safety and the ability to be there after school. Secondarily, it’s so our parents can work,” Emory said. “94% of our parents are able to work because their kids are at the Boys and Girls Club and they know they’re safe. Then what’s really cool is that a lot of these kids get a bike for the first time, which means more freedom and flexibility.”

This year marks the third consecutive year that the Diamondbacks have partnered with Blue Sky Pest Control to give away new bicycles as part of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America program, an official charity of MLB.

The Diamondbacks Foundation and Organization places great importance on giving back. This value is lived by their players and is at the heart of everything they do.

“Regardless of how we give back, I think it’s super important because they come to us every day and support us. And I think it’s great when we go out into the community and help give back and I’m definitely grateful that we can do that,” Pfaadt said.

Additionally, Alexander looks back on some nostalgic memories and expresses the impact these new bikes will have on the children in the community.

“Yeah, you know, this is huge. I remember getting my first bike as a little boy, and I think I was the luckiest person on earth,” Alexander said. “I mean, I’m sure these kids are going to have crazy memories with the bike and everything, giving back. So yeah, it definitely means a lot to me.”