100 Bicycles from Essential Eats Inc. Delivered to Fort Belknap
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Living on the Hi-line and having a daily view of the traffic that makes its way through the region along US Highway 2, we have all seen plenty of interesting loads sitting atop a trailer. Be it a 120' windmill blade, or a 50-ton generator, huge equipment or heavy machinery, nothing really seems to turn our heads anymore. This past Wednesday while stopping at Town Pump at 6:00 a.m. store goers were talking about a load on the back of a semitrailer that certainly did catch their eye.
Strapped to the trailer through their frames were roughly 120 out of the box, assembled and ready for a joyous young child to jump on and ride bicycles. Interested in who would be hauling such a unique load and where they were being delivered to, further investigation was to be done. The driver of the tractor trailer setup was Hays resident Garrett Doney, a rancher and hay hauler by trade.
The bicycles were to be delivered to various communities throughout the Reservation. 477 General Assistance had provided a list of names in each community of low-income kids that would benefit. When the bicycles arrived at the Agency delivery routes and drivers were already on hand to distribute them as quickly as possible. These bicycles came from Essential Eats Distributors, Inc. out of Missoula. Sarah Welker is the Executive Director and established the non-profit back in 2018 as an all-volunteer non-profit to work in cooperation with all seven landed nations in Montana. Fort Belknap's Jacob 'Dually' Rider sits on the Board for Essential Eats Distributors, Inc.
Doney responded to a request by the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation to make a trip to Missoula to pick up this wonderful load of bicycles and deliver them back to Fort Belknap agency to be distributed to local youth that could surely use a new bicycle. Steve "Shelley" Fox Jr., Gros Ventre Representative to the Fort Belknap Tribal Council was very appreciative of the efforts of everyone involved, "Garrett used his own equipment, time and basically just charged us for fuel. That's how it works out here, people come together to help each other."
Fox added, "The people that really unite to get these things to the community. They always seem to come out of the woodwork and really come together to get things done and everyone truly benefits. Wes Medicine Bear, Jacob 'Dually' Rider and his crew and Garrett Doney, they all seem to always be there to help whenever we need them. Even more are so many other people that seem to use their own equipment to do what it takes to get it done. Tracy 'Ching" King and Dominic Messerly are also Council Members who have worked with Sarah and other nonprofits to deliver goods to the Communities. A lot of times donations show up out of the blue and you can always count on folks to get them distributed."
This is the fourth year that Sara Welker and her group have provided goods to Fort Belknap, "The first year Sarah gave us 200 Hams that we handed out. Then for two years we received several bicycles free of charge. This year the Tribe had to pay a minimal fee for each bicycle. All together we have received around 300 bicycles," said Fox. This year's load includes 100 bicycles in all.
Sarah Welker began her non-profit to fill a need, especially during the Holiday season and winter months to help ensure that the children and low-income family's needs were met. The non-profit has expanded to include several other items such as bikes and books and various supplies through the past four years. A strategic system of fundraising and working closely with wholesale outlets and commercial stores to acquire items for a lower cost is how most items are obtained. In organizing the bicycle drive that provided Fort Belknap with these bikes, Welker mentioned the KRD Foundation, Sunrise Rotary, Missoula Noon Rotary Club, Walmart, Martel Construction, EED supporters, garage builders and volunteers, and Bikers Against Bullies amongst those who helped.
As a result, when travelling on roads and highways through the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, be on the look out for little tykes on bikes. There are 100 happy youngsters riding around enjoying themselves.
