Aniya, kindergartner at Fritsch Elementary School, climbs onto her new bike Wednesday.
Mayor Lori Bagwell and various local partners celebrated 47 Carson City School District students for improved or perfect attendance on Wednesday at Casino Fandango with a bike giveaway.
The bikes were provided by 395 Motorsports and were custom fitted for students of all grade levels from kindergarten to high school seniors, where they were celebrated on stage for committing to attending class during the first semester of the 2024-25 school year. Winners also received helmets to encourage bike safety.
Bagwell congratulated the students and families and encouraged children to keep attending school.
“Someday you might be standing here, continuing my program 10 years from now, right, because I know I’m not going to be mayor that long, so I’m challenging you dream big, wish great things for yourself, and I hope some of you recognize that this is a community that you want to live in for a very long time,” she said.
Chris Kassity, owner of 395 Motorsports, said Bagwell had been asking him for about a year to contribute to the bike giveaway.
“It’s a great cause helping the kids … and (Superintendent) AJ (Feuling) was telling us about what happened with the attendance rate,” Kassity said.
Donors included Bob Fredlund of Nevada Style, Widow’s Mite, Southwest Gas, Dana Whaley, Renee Plain of In Plain Sight, Carson City Toyota, Glen Eagles, 395 Motorsports, Chick-Fil-A, Bella Salon and Spa, Bill and Virgie Miller, BMO, Casino Fandango, Grocery Outlet, United Federal Credit Union, Waste Management, Sherry McConnell, Allison MacKenzie, Harriet Eckerman, Hop and Mae Adams Foundation, Greater Nevada Credit Union, Battle Born Chapter DAR, Minuteman Press, Neil and Francene Crowley, Duncan Golf, Kiwanis, Knight Monsters, Reno Aces and Shelly Aldean.
Feuling thanked everyone for supporting the students.
“This is what community looks like,” he said. “I am so grateful to the mayor for taking this on for the kids of the community, all of the generosity of these community partners … I’m just so thankful that they see this is something that matters and it’s something that we have to find for the benefit of these kids’ futures.”