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Friday July 17, 2026

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Bikes sent to bless kids

By Anne Davison

Thursday, July 2, Hamiota pastor, Orland Usick drew up to Cornerstone Family Worship Centre towing a flat deck load of bicycles.

When the shipment of 40 used and reconditioned bicycles was made available, Usick knew they’d find a welcome. And they did. Usick said, “These are free, good used, higher quality bikes like Norco and Kuwahara.”

The bikes arrived on a truck at Oak River and Pastor Usick unpacked the 40, re-attached pedals and tightened up parts before hauling them into town.

Upon the arrival in town, members of the youth group the he works with converged on the bicycles, doing the heavy lifting, to unload the bikes. Almost every bike found a home with the day.

“I was really surprised how many ordinary hard-working parents’ kids’ don't have bikes,” said the pastor.

A charity from Victoria, B.C. - Compassion Resources in Warehouse (CRW) - sent the container of bicycles to Manitoba to be used as a blessing in communities where pastors would take on the distribution.

CRW is a registered Canadian charity based in Victoria, B.C. Since 1999, volunteers have collected, processed, packaged and shipped a variety of donated goods and equipment to responsible charities and other groups around the world. The goods are distributed free of charge to provide opportunity and hope.

Members of Hamiota’s Cornerstone youth group unload bicycles and lined them up on the wall of the church to be donated. PHOTO BY ANNE DAVISON