Program lets kids go along for the ride

It's not enough for Michael Stewart to be a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office detention deputy or co-owner of Give A Dog A Bone.

The 28-year-old Apollo Beach resident and two others, Chris Kiddy of FishHawk and Darrin Wilson of Valrico, are part of a new nonprofit organization giving at-risk kids the chance to get outdoors to bicycle.

"Since I'm with the sheriff's office, I'll be working to turn around kids close to joining gangs or turning to drugs," he said. "It's such a pleasure seeing their faces light up."

Trips for Kids Tampa was founded in early July by Kiddy, 28, a Hillsborough County park ranger soon to be laid off because of county budget cuts.

"Actually, I got the idea after learning about my layoff," he said. "I wanted to start an outreach to help kids and make people aware of the parks and other natural resources in the area."

Stewart, an avid mountain biker, said he learned about the organization on the Web site of a local bike shop. He and Kiddy began e-mailing each other and then chatting on Facebook.

"We found out we were former schoolmates," Stewart said, "and one thing led to another from there."

Trips for Kids Tampa combines bike riding with lessons in responsibility, achievement and environmental awareness. Riders are recommended by nonprofit groups Kiddy, Wilson and Stewart work with, including Boys & Girls clubs, Sierra Club's Inner City Outings and church groups. Participants have the opportunity to earn a refurbished bike of their own by achieving goals set for them.

"I'm hoping to get the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Youth Ranch involved," Stewart said.

The guys have 10 mountain bikes, but they want to build that number to at least 30 to accommodate larger groups. Rides are free, bikes are furnished and lunch is provided for the all-day excursions to places such as Trout Creek in Wilderness Park, the site of the group's inaugural ride Aug. 15.

"We're the newest chapter of the Trips for Kids national organization," said Wilson, 42, the local group's marketing director, in a recent press release, noting Trips for Kids has more than 60 chapters in three countries. "We want to introduce local kids to the great parks, preserves, greenways and, of course, mountain-bike trails we have in our area. And instill in them the importance of getting involved in the preservation and conservation of our natural resources."

Wilson said the organization's mission includes helping the kids who participate build a positive self-esteem and a sense of responsibility and achievement.

Area Pizza Huts have agreed to help raise money for Trips for Kids Tampa on Monday, when 20 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the nonprofit group. Just print and present the coupon at www.mtbyouthride.org. To learn more about Trips for Kids, head to the Pizza Hut at 10619 Gibsonton Drive on Monday, where organizers will be on hand to answer questions.

And if you'd like to help the cause with a donation of cash or a bicycle, call Kiddy at (813) 210-2013.