Benson’s WK Bike Program sees 100s of bikes donated
Chuck Koenigs, Countryside Public Health’s Ashlie Wubben, and Kevin Wilts have been collaborating on an effort to get bicycles to people in the community who need them.
From Countryside Public Health
From its humble beginnings to a local success story, the WK Bike Program continues to help the Benson community ride into a healthier future.
WK Bike Program has become an invaluable community initiative, providing donated bicycles to people in need and making significant strides toward improving access to physical activity and transportation for children and adults in the Benson area.
What started in 2020 as a modest effort to repair, repurpose, and distribute 27 bikes to those in need, has now grown into a well-established program.
The program started out with a single donated bike, and the idea that these friends had to fix it up and give it away. And now, over the past four years, has given away 296 bikes — and the pace doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
The WK Bike Program is run by longtime friends Kevin Wilts and Chuck Koenigs, with support and assis-tance from Countryside Public Health’s Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) Coordinator Ashlie Wubben. It also relies on the support of local volunteers and other organizations.
It has successfully matched bikes with individuals, providing a means to both physical activity and trans-portation.
Bikes for All Ages
Since its inception, the WK Bike Program has seen impressive growth in both the number of bikes donat-ed and the number distributed. In 2024 alone, the program gave away 81 bikes, including a mix of tot-size, mid-size, and adult bikes, in addition to trikes and recumbent bikes.
These donations come from a combination of individual donors and local businesses.
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