LONGMONT, Colo. -- Kids are always looking for a bit a freedom from mom and dad. Bicycles can provide that independence.

For families in Longmont who cannot quite afford a bike Buzz Feldman and an army of volunteers come to the rescue.

Feldman owned High Gear Cyclery in Longmont for years. Back in 1988 he got an idea to help families who could not afford a bike at Christmas time.

"I started asking people if they could donate bikes and it just mushroomed from there," said Feldman.

Did it ever!

Last Christmas at the Longmont Bicycle Giveaway 439 bikes and helmets were given to children.

"Looking at the expressions on the youngsters faces as they pick up the bikes, that is the payoff," said Feldman.

"I think Buzz has been Longmont's greatest advocate for cycling," said Ryan Kragerud of the nonprofit, Longmont Bicycle.

While Feldman has done this for 22 years, he is quick to point out it takes a lot of people to make the giveaway a success.

"It is a lot more than just me. If it were just me it wouldn't happen," Feldman.

All year the people of Longmont drop off bikes at area fire stations. The bikes are stored and repaired at Longmont's Sun Construction.

Before Christmas, the bikes are transported to the Longmont Y.M.C.A. by Golden Van Lines.

There, Boy Scouts, Y.M.C.A. employees and Bicycle Longmont volunteers work together to get the bikes to children who have always dreamed of a bike of their own.

The Longmont Bicycle Giveaway is a great example of a community working together, but it has a good leader in Buzz Feldman.

"There are a lot of things that I would like to be doing that I just cannot. But this is one thing I can do," said Feldman.

To learn more about Bicycle Longmont go to www.BicycleLongmont.org .