Christmas Bicycles Keep On Rolling

The legacy of Mark Reynolds, killed by a mountain lion while bike riding in Orange County’s backcountry, was kept alive Saturday by a group of friends who donated 25 new bicycles to needy children at the El Modena Community Center in Orange.

For many of the excited children, it was their first bike.

“I’m going to ride it to school, if my parents let me,” said Irving Montalvo, 9, as he adjusted a helmet that came with the bicycle. “This is a very nice present to get for Christmas.”

Reynolds, 35, apparently had crouched down to fix a broken chain on his mountain bike during an outing in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park on Jan. 8 when he was attacked and fatally mauled.

Friends said Reynolds, a competitive cyclist, believed every child should have a bike and he collected money every November to purchase bicycles for underprivileged kids.

Reynolds would match the amount he collected, said Todd Galati, who used to ride with him.

“His goal was to give bicycles to kids under 12 who had never owned one,” Galati said.

Reynolds’ mother, Dona, who lives in St. Joseph, Mo., established the Mark Reynolds Bicycle Fund to continue her son’s tradition of giving. The fund has given away bicycles in locations where Reynolds lived, including Texas, Galati said. On Saturday, bicycles were also given away in St. Joseph and Savannah, Mo. Another giveaway is scheduled Dec. 16 in Colorado Springs.

Saturday’s event in Orange generated a festive holiday spirit that flashed in the children’s eyes. Youngsters eagerly pointed to the bicycles tagged with their names as they waited for the ceremony to begin.

Maria Elena Vigil, community coordinator at the center, said the recipients were picked by center officials from among the neediest children who frequent the facility. During summer months, she said, about 145 kids spend their days at the center, enjoying recreational activities, meals and snacks.

“There’s a lot of poverty in this neighborhood,” said Vigil. “The parents can’t afford to pay for day care while they work. In the summer, we help them out by giving their kids a place to hang out. For many of the kids who got bikes today, it’s the only gift they’ll get this Christmas.”

Galati said Dona Reynolds worked with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange to pick a parish with a large number of poor families for the bike giveaway.

“It’s in Mark’s spirit,” he said. “He was incredibly kind and compassionate toward those who weren’t as fortunate as him. He was especially moved by underprivileged kids whose families couldn’t afford to buy them bikes.”

Attending Saturday’s event was Anne Hjelle, 30, who was attacked by the same cougar that killed Reynolds while mountain biking on the same day. Hjelle, who never met Reynolds, said she shared his passion for the wilderness.

Some members of the 16-person riding team that Reynolds belonged to also attended. Information about the fund can be obtained at www.markreynolds fund.com.