Early Saturday morning, waves of motion filled the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds as dozens of helping hands eagerly began their quest to provide bikes to hundreds of kids during the holidays.
This year, the Scott Campbell Christmas Promise — an annual event organized by Waste Connections and multiple local community groups — sought to provide 560 bicycles to families at no cost. In its 12th year, the charitable event continues to be a hit in the community.
Within two hours, more than 150 volunteers had swiftly completed this goal.
At the sound of a 9 a.m. bell, volunteers promptly opened packages containing multicolored bike parts, rolled out their tool kits and spent a few moments deciphering manuals. For some, it was the first time they ever built a bike.
For Cass Parker and her wife, Nathalie, assembling bikes isn’t either’s particular forte.
“My new skill is reading instructions,” Nathalie Parker chuckled.
The couple weren’t dissuaded from their task, though, as they successfully produced a modestly sized fleet. Cass Parker said contributing to the cause was worth overcoming a slight learning curve, which quickly dissipated after some trial runs.
“It makes you feel good. Your time is the best gift you can give,” she said.
Plus, it was impossible for pressure to be high with Santa Claus, the Grinch and other local mascots weaving between building stations to greet volunteers.
Bikes varied in flashy designs and sizes, ranging from toddler balance bikes to 24-inch bikes for teenagers. Some frames were neon; others had subdued colors and patterns. Rubber handlebars were adorned with glittery tassels or remained bare. All bicycles were paired with a helmet.
But the operation didn’t end at the assembly table.
Bike Clark County members oversaw quality-control checks as volunteers adjusted loose handlebars and saddles or pumped more air into wheels — sometimes pieces needed to be turned around or right-side-up.
One quality-control checker, Bill Tymer, said having a bike can “open the door to so many opportunities.” Tymer, an avid cyclist himself, said the socialization and health benefits alone make owning a bike highly valuable.
Jon Wooten, a Waste Connections employee and repeat volunteer, said giving bikes to children and teens can teach them responsibility through its inevitable maintenance. Owning a bicycle can also provide a wash of independence as they commute from home to school or a part-time job.
Beloved beginnings, evolution
The event’s titular figure, Scott Campbell, dedicated his life to community engagement, having served dozens of nonprofits and charitable organizations. He filled local leadership positions, such as board seats for the Fort of Vancouver National Trust and Clark County’s Park Foundation, and established locally treasured projects — including Waste Connections’ Christmas Promise program.
Campbell died at 59 due to cancer, leading his employer, Waste Connections, to name the annual holiday event after him.
He believed every child in Clark County who wanted a bike should have one, regardless of whether they could afford it, said Cyndi Holloway, Waste Connections government and community affairs director. Through the program, hundreds of kids have received bicycles during the holidays.
This year, hundreds more will get a new gift because of Scott Campbell’s Christmas Promise.
“If Scott was still with us today, he would be proud of what we’re doing,” Holloway said.
The bike build, originally directed to Waste Connections employees, quickly grew in popularity, as Scott Campbell’s Promise resonated with countless locals, she said. The company’s small internal gathering, making 100 bikes on average, transformed into a massive community affair involving dozens of local organizations, small businesses and families who come independently.
Support for the event came from the J. Scott Campbell Foundation, the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, and several months of company fundraising.
“All the work and all the hours doesn’t even compare to the joy of kids’ faces when they see their new bike,” Holloway said. “It’s all worth it.”
Waste Connections will prepare the bicycles for delivery in the coming week for its partners — including Santa’s Posse, Friends of the Children, the Police Athletic League and the YMCA — to distribute to families.
