Ensuring that your life makes a difference, or perhaps leaving the world a little bit better than it was, or however you wish to think about it, these feelings are exemplified by the life led by Springfield’s Robert Charland, more affectionately known as “Bob the Bike Man.”

And Bob’s story has gone well beyond Western Mass.  In fact it has been the subject of a film, CBS Evening News, and coverage in People magazine.

Bob Charland is a deputy with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, a teacher at the Willie Ross School for the Deaf, and a Girl Scout leader.

After being diagnosed with a terminal neurodegenerative brain disorder, Bob proceeded to quickly settle his own affairs and to move full steam ahead on his pet project – restoring junked bicycles and distributing them among the disadvantaged children of the region.

More than a thousand bikes have been gifted to underprivileged youngsters through Bob’s organization, PEDAL THRU YOUTH.

Here is the story of  life that makes a difference, the story of a man who knows that how much time we have is not as important as what we choose to do with it.

Email: contact@pedalthruyouth.org    •   Web: www.pedalthruyouth.org