ROANOKE, Va. – If you’re an essential employee and need a way to get to work, a local bicycle shop wants to help you out.
Cardinal Bicycle in Roanoke is offering used bikes for free for restaurant and healthcare workers.
As of Friday morning, there were about a half-dozen bikes available.
All you have to do is call the store and set up an appointment to get fitted for a bike.
When you come in, you’ll need to bring proof you work in an essential industry.
Shop owner Whit Ellerman came up with the idea after a recent conversation with Roanoke’s vice mayor.
“Just thinking about the needs of people who may not feel comfortable writing on public transit right now," Ellerman said. "He said, ‘Do you guys have bikes that people could try?’ I said, ‘Yeah, absolutely, and I’m happy to give them away to people.’”
If you would like to donate a bike, you can drop them off any time the store is open.