MANTECA — Christmas has passed, but one Manteca man is keeping the holiday spirit alive.
Kenneth Vieira says he has only been fixing up and donating bikes for three days, but he has already restored 14 bikes and donated several for people for Christmas.
The reaction he got gave Vieira the drive to keep going.
“It’s like they can’t talk. They get to the point where it’s all emotion and you can’t replace that really with money or things,” he said. “It’s just a full human to human connection. It’s really neat.”
Vieira has picked up bikes from people over the past few days, brought them back to his home in Manteca, and along with his son Justin and niece Makenzie, has taken bikes apart and put new pieces on them.
Many of the adult bikes he has, or plans to donate to shelters, help give men and women in need a means of transportation.
Vieira is accepting donations and is mainly looking for bikes for children or teens.
People can get in contact with Vieira on the Facebook page he has set up, Manteca Bikes for Kids.
He says he will continue to fix donated bikes until he finds construction work or this becomes his job.
“There is other people waiting for something to come to them and you can be that gift to them. You can be that person delivering them from the same problems you’re going through,” Vieira told FOX40. “So instead of being the victim, you can become the solution for others. And I love it. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
