Bike Drive at Local School to Honor Teacher Who Died

Roosevelt Middle School

West Palm Beach, FL - One local school is honoring a teacher who passed away, while at the same time helping out children in the community.

Bike after bike was wheeled through Roosevelt Middle School in West Palm Beach. Some small, some big, but all are to remember a teacher who died in August from lung cancer.

"He was just a great teacher. He taught so many things that I still remember from last year," said 8th grader, Typhanie Quest.

Christopher Jaeger worked at the school for eight years. The social studies teacher also rode his bike to and from, every day.

"I just thought what a great way for the students to give back in his honor, being that he loved bicycles so much," said Student Council sponsor, Alisa Wright.

Students, teachers, and parents jumped on board. They donated to Jack the Bike Man Incorporated, an organization that fixes up used bikes and gives them to underprivileged children.

One parent dropped off eight bikes she just had sitting around.

"I was like, we got to get the bikes over to Roosevelt because then everybody benefits," said parent, Loni Fuller.

A teacher and all the students from her medical science classes even raised $85 for two new bikes.

"It makes me feel really good that we did this together as a school," said 8th grader, Daisiah Akbar.

It doesn't necessarily matter the condition of the bike, whether you're talking about flat tires or knicks on the paint job. That's because if the bike's condition is too bad to give away, then they can still use it for parts.

And getting those bikes fixed up and in the hands of children who need them most is what matters in the end.

"These are not new bikes for the most part. They're not really beautiful bikes, but when they're given to someone who has nothing and you see a smile light up on their face, that's what it's all about," said president of Jack the Bike Man Inc, Jack Hairston.

It's all in honor of one avid bike-rider.

So far Wednesday, the school has collected about 50 bikes and more than $200.

Jack the Bike Man says they can use more help because the organization needs about 500 more bikes to start fixing up for kids during the holiday season.

You can drop bikes or cash off throughout the rest of the day at Roosevelt Middle. Their address is 1900 N Australian.