Each year, the Wheelers sponsor a bike giveaway in conjunction with the Pantagraph and different local businesses to get free bikes in the hands of local essay winners. In 2006, we gave away 3 bikes. In 2007, 6 bikes. How many in 2008? The earlier we start, the better the chances that we can top 2007. If you'd like to help, contact Scott Richardson .     UPDATE The Wheelers put 16 people on bikes in the 2008 McLean County Wheelers Bikes Change Lives Bike Give-Away.  That number is up from six in 2007 and three in 2005, the program’s first year thanks to several generous donors.    The idea for the bike giveaway came from members of the bike club who were convinced that bikes would help people shape up, get healthy and make friends.  The concept came from a program Bicycling Magazine hosts  on an international level.      The Wheelers’ bike giveaway has already helped others lose weight.  Others have heard their doctors say they no longer need insulin for diabetes or medicine for high blood pressure because they took up biking as exercise.   A woman reported that she rode her way to weight loss and she started dating again.    This year’s class of bike recipients has the opportunity for the same kind of personal victories. One is a 33-year-old single mom who was a college athlete.  Now, she finds herself with 90 extra pounds.       One is a man in his 70s recovering from prostate cancer and hoping to lose a few pounds. One is a woman in her 50s with osteoarthritis. Another is a woman who cut back on other exercise due to chronic back problems.   Her slow-down led her husband to do the same.  Now, they both need to lose weight. He has a good one, but hers is shot.    One woman hopes to ride herself to a more carefree attitude that will help her combat a stress related physical ailment. One wants to expand her swimming and running programs to include cycling.  A sprint level triathlon may be in her future. One is an Iraq veteran who wants to do a triathlon.   Another is a 65-year-old cancer survivor who hopes to lower her cholesterol. One is a husband in his mid-50s trying to catch up to his wife, who was inspired to take up riding again after reading a column I wrote a couple of years ago about how bikes changed my life.  A woman in her mid-50s wants a bike because she is overweight, diabetic and battles restless leg syndrome.   The list goes on.    The Wheelers selection committee received many great essays from folks.  Unfortunately, the number of bikes was limited. The following people were chosen to receive bikes: Barb Alt, Laurine Brown, Tina Coates, Yvonne Evans, JoEllen Gehring, Marge Hitchen,  Randy Hoffman, Jolene Horine, Jessica Jordan, Chris Kerber, Kelly McBride, Chris Murdoch, Dave Priest, Denise Schwenk, Elaine Smith and Ruth Taha.    Winners are being contacted.  Some of their success stories will be published later in the year in the Pantagraph’s Sunday GO! section.   None of this would have been possible without the generous support of the following businesses, groups and individuals who donated bikes: The McLean County Wheelers, Friends of Constitution Trail, the Pantagraph Good Fellow Fund, Vitesse Cycle, Bloomington Cycle, GoToTrails.com, Citizens Bank of Chatsworth, McLean County Medical Society,  State Farm Insurance agent Steve Haas and two  anonymous contributors.   Many thanks to the hard work of the selection committee.  Members met, decided on the winners and then several agreed to meet the winners at local bike shops to get their stuff.   Marge Ehlers, Kathleen Riepe, Mike and Cindy Kerber,  Geno, Jerry Erb, Wheeler's president Tom Breitbarth, Doug Ohler and yours truly Scott "The IceMan" Richardson took part.   A family illness prevented Mike Hannah from taking part.    Bikes were purchased from Vitesse, Bloomington Cycle and Wilson's.