Changing people’s lives for the better doesn’t require massive amounts of money or a herculean effort by a huge team of people. For Vern White, better known by his Facebook username, Milan Bike Guy, it only takes two committed people to make a difference: he and his wife, Leslie.
They have worked out a simple formula: the bikes are donated to the couple, which are then assessed to see how much work has to be done to get them back to working order. Any bikes that are too expensive to rebuild are used for parts. This summer will be their third summer fixing bicycles and they have successfully refurbished over 500 bikes.
So how did Vern become the local ‘bike hero’? Three years ago, he had bariatric surgery, which also led to his right knee being replaced. With that, it meant he would no longer be able to ride his bicycle. He didn’t want to give up his love for biking, but wanted to do something productive with his newfound free time to give back to the community. He advertised on a local Facebook page to see if anyone had kids’ bikes that he could fix and give to those in need.
“It just kind of exploded from there,” he said. “And then we had a mom reach out to us who had a son with autism and asked if we had an adult tricycle. When Leslie delivered it to the family, “the young man jumped on it and was gone for the rest of the evening.”
Since then, they’ve had a waiting list of 17 people with disabilities that are looking for a modified bike. White plans on starting a stabilizing system so that anybody with a disability is able to ride a bicycle. This would be life changing for many people with disabilities who may have difficulty riding the traditional bicycle style. A modified bike would allow them to enjoy the experience of riding a bike and improve their mobility.
“We had a 6 year old boy with cerebral palsy our first year,” White said. “We put him in a trike and that young man rode up and down our streets screaming ‘I’m riding a bike, I’m riding a bike!’. That’s the reward, that’s why we do this.”
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White has fixed up bikes that are delivered to Lansing, Detroit and even as far as Toledo. Churches from across the state contact him to work on bikes for holidays so they can help families during Christmas and Easter. Many refugee families contact them because they don’t have their driver’s license yet. Their impact on these communities is far reaching.
“Every one of those stories are precious. I had somebody compare me and said I am this generation’s Mr. Rogers. Even now it gives me chills because that was so impactful, that I could be regarded on such a level. That was our greatest accomplishment,” White said.
As for the future, the Whites are planning on applying for non-profit status so they can focus on helping people in need. “We don’t plan on slowing down,” he said. “We’re going to do this as long as there’s a need. We are going to be called the White Rock Foundation with my little brother and his wife.”
“It’s a mission. It’s our ministry. We’ve helped so many people and that’s what drives us. That’s what keeps us going.”
To help contribute to their mission, supporters can donate to their GoFundMe or Amazon wishlist.
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