Bob the Bike Man teams up with police to donate mini cruisers to Boston Children’s Hospital

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Bob the Bike Man continues to give back to children who need it the most.

This time, Bob Charland and his Pedal Thru Youth organization teamed up with police departments to customize and donate mini cruisers to patients at Boston Children’s Hospital.

The mini cruisers were delivered to the hospital from Springfield via a Massachusetts and Connecticut State Police escort Friday morning. They’ll eventually be driven around by countless patients at the hospital.

“I think if you were a kid going to chemo or something else, you’re scared,” Charland said. “You walk outside your room and see one of these power wheels you get to ride versus being put in a wheelchair or escorted down there on your own, I think it would ease them a bit.”

Best thing you’ll hear today! Local police departments outfitted these mini cruisers to donate to Boston Children’s Hospital. The kids will be able to ride them to appointment. pic.twitter.com/ldcvcdRc7A
— Monica Ricci (@MonicaWWLP) October 11, 2019

Chicopee, Holyoke, Easthampton, Greenfield, Pelham, and the STCC police departments all donated a mini cruiser. Some were outfitted with lights, police radios, and music capabilities. Greenfield’s mini police cruiser even had a replica stuffed animal of their therapy dog, Officer Donut, in the back seat.

“It means a lot to be able to put my hard work into something that benefits children and I’m happy to donate my time,” Greenfield Police Officer Brent Griffin said.

Charland said a team at Boston Children’s Hospital will make further modifications to the mini cruisers.

“There’s a program called Go Baby Go that some hospitals use that they adapt the power wheels even further,” Charland said. “They put switches in different spots on the vehicle to make it more accessible for the child to be able to ride them if they are missing limbs or that kind of situation.”

His organization Pedal Thru Youth made a similar donation to Shriner’s Children’s Hospital last week. Charland, who made it his mission to give back to kids in need, suffers from a neurodegenerative brain disease. When asked how he’s doing, Charland told 22News he’s keeping busy and chugging along.