Do you know a child age 3-12 who needs a bicycle? Lehigh Valley Coalition for Appropriate Transportation (CAT), located at 1935 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, is giving away bikes and helmets this holiday season.

The volunteers at CAT refurbish old bikes and give them to children in need. It takes volunteers about four hours to rehab a bike. When a child comes to receive a bike, CAT volunteers make sure the bike fits the child, and they even have the child help with adding or removing training wheels. If a helmet is needed, it is provided.

Bikes are available through Dec. 30, or while supplies last. CAT hopes to distribute 75 bikes this season. Helmets and education are provided on site, sponsored by Lehigh Valley Transportation Study and PenDOT.

Community members are welcome to sponsor the bikes, and may include a holiday message for the recipient.

CAT volunteers also made a bicycle training course on the blacktop at Friendship Park, on North Street. The course has plenty of turns and stops, so new riders can practice steering and stopping.

Bikes are given out by appointment. Call 610-954-5744 or email cat@lvcat.org.

Other programs

CAT also offers a program for those age 16 and older. The program is open to Lehigh County residents who live outside of Allentown or Bethlehem cities. Residents of the following municipalities are eligible:

?Alburtis, Catasauqua, Coopersburg, Coplay, Emmaus, Fountain Hill, Macungie; Slatington, Hanover Township, Heidelberg Township, Lower Macungie Township; Lower Milford Township, Lowhill Township; Lynn Township, North Whitehall Township; Salisbury Township, South Whitehall Township, Upper Macungie Township; Upper Milford Township, Upper Saucon Township, Washington Township; and Weisenberg, and Whitehall Township.

The adult bikes are part of a grant program that does not cover the cities of Bethlehem and Allentown, which are covered under a separate grant.