Donations buy 114 bicycles for students

Southwest Disposal collected enough donations to purchase 114 new bicycles and helmets for students at Booker T. Washington and Mac Arthur elementary schools in Las Cruces Dec. 17.

“We are delighted to be a part of this incredible act of generosity,” said Las Cruces Public Schools Safe Routes to Schools Coordinator Ashleigh Curry. 

Curry talked about bicycle safety at both schools before students received their bikes, adding that a bike-training program will be presented at an LCPS elementary school on Jan. 26.

Booker T. Washington Elementary selected students to receive the bikes based on their safe, kind and responsible behavior. MacArthur Elementary School chose its students based on character, attendance and academics.

Curry advised students to always wear a helmet when riding their bikes, and to always ride on the right-hand side of the road. She told them to check four elements of basic bicycle safety before riding: ‘A’ for enough Air in the tires, ‘B’ for Brakes that work properly, ‘C’ for a taut bike Chain and ‘D’ for Drop test, during which a bike is raised six inches and dropped onto its tires with the rider listening for rattles or loose parts that could indicate problems.  

Southwest Disposal is a solid-waste-disposal company based at 2485 W. Amador Ave. It provides collection, transfer and recycling services, according to www.southwestdisposal.com/las-cruces, and serves Doña Ana and Grant counties in New Mexico, and Cochise County in the southeast corner of Arizona.

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