BOISE, Idaho — On Saturday, four senior care facilities across the Gem State won a "Blessing Bike" after winning a video contest.
Blessing Bikes were featured in a 7's Hero in March of 2019 when then-92-year-old Rosemary Sorce's daughter and son-in-law built her a special bike so she could get out and ride with them again.
When Rosemary's story first aired and published online, it soon went viral and there was quickly a large demand for the bikes that can help senior citizens get outside on a bike safely, without having to balance it or pedal it.
The family's Blessing Bike organization worked with a nonprofit called Wish Granters and bought four of the Blessing Bikes from the family to distribute.
"Everyone was so happy and so grateful. One lady that came from Arco to pick up the bike, when the bikes were delivered and she saw it she cried, and she said, 'You don't know what this is going to do to our community,' so it was an amazing day," Cherie Coonce with Wish Granter told KTVB.
Originally, only three facilities were going to receive a bike, but thanks to a generous donation by an anonymous donor, there was enough funding for a fourth to be gifted.
In July 2020, the Blessing Bike was upgraded and now it's ready to roll out senior care facilities around Idaho.
Correction: A previous version of this story mistakenly called Wish Granters the Wish Makers. Newer versions of this article also clarify that the Wish Granters bought the bikes from the Blessing Bike organization.
