Wheel fun donates bikes and gear to Gila Vista Junior High School
Paul Vozzella
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A new partnership between Wheel Fun Mountain Biking and Gila Vista Junior High is giving students the chance to ditch screen time in favor of exploring the outdoors on two wheels.
Thanks to a donation of 15 mountain bikes from Wheel Fun, students at Gila Vista now have access to bikes both on and off campus. The program aims to promote physical activity and build community among students.
“It’s really cool, [because] we get to ride everywhere, and we get to be with our friends,” said Gila Vista student Dante Bobbio.
Gila Vista Principal Frank Núñez sees the program as a reflection of Yuma’s close-knit community.
“It shows the students, it shows the families that… not only their teachers and the people at school care, but also the people in their community care,” Núñez said.
Wheel Fun has already launched similar programs, with one of their missions being to get kids outside and away from digital devices.
“Growing up, my mountain bike was my iPad,” said Emilio Perez, Wheel Fun’s Southeast Regional Manager. “We didn’t have technology, and riding my bike through the neighborhood, through the cotton fields of Marana – there’s nothing like it.”
For Wheel Fun Executive Director Evan Puglia, the essence of mountain biking lies in the sense of freedom it offers.
“The joy of mountain biking is really bound in freedom and exploration,” Puglia said.
Gila Vista is particularly well-suited for a thriving biking program. The school is located near a park with a pump track and has easy access to scenic desert trails. With two dedicated coaches already on board, the school is set to build an active biking community.
“They have all the right ingredients to be a fun club,” Puglia added. “Kids are ready to go.”
Looking ahead, school leaders hope to expand the program so the entire campus can benefit from the opportunity to get outside and ride.