LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The sound of a bike bell is music to 8-year-old Madeline Horsely’s ears.  

“I remember my first day riding my bike, I felt good and a little bit of nervous,” said Madeline. 

Nothing compares to a day at Middletown Cycling, a bicycle shop owned and operated by her dad Ross Horsely. 

“I’m with my daddy and it’s fun and sometimes I get to ride bikes,” says Horsely.   

Madeline helps her dad, Ross, sell, repair, and now share the joy of bikes. 

Middletown Cycling, Middle of Town Cycling, Fall City Community Bike Works, Goodwill Broadway store, and Clarksville Schwinn are lending space to collect new and used bikes to donate to western Kentucky tornado victims.  

For the next two weeks, those businesses will also be collecting helmets, bike locks, bike luggage racks, lights, and winter commuter gear including wool socks, windbreakers, and helmet liners. 

“These are really good quality bikes that frankly a lot of people will never get to experience even like I never had a super nice one when I was growing up,” says Ross. 

These bikes could mean fun for children, and even more for adult recipients. 

“Having a bike can be anything from just a fun hobby to a mode of transportation. I think that you can't really find anybody that at some point in their life as a kid that wasn't how they really got around,” says Ross. 

As an adult, biking transitioned into an important part of Horsely's health and fitness. 

He believes it will be the same for tornado victims who are rebuilding their lives.

“It's an easy way to get outside. It's an easy way to stay active, and frankly, there's a great community and social aspect of it too,” says Ross. 

Most important to Horsely, his small business is able to make an impact in a way he’s never imagined. 

“I think bikes make people happy. People like happy people. People like being around healthy happy people,” says Ross. 

A complete list of donation drop off addresses and times are below: 

Falls City Community Bike Works

• 1217 Logan St., Louisville, KY 40204
• Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Goodwill Broadway store

• (Mention that your donation is for Last Mile to Work.)
• 909 East Broadway, Louisville, KY 40204
• Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, 12 p.m.-6 p.m.

Clarksville Schwinn

• 111 W. Lewis & Clark Blvd., Clarksville, IN., 47129
• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m. -5:30 p.m.
• Sunday 12 p.m. -5 p.m.

Middletown Cycling

• All donors will receive a $5 store credit each day they donate an item(s)
• 11519 Shelbyville Rd, Louisville, KY 40243
• Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. -7 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

Middle of Town Cycling

• All donors will receive a $5 store credit each day they donate an item(s)
• 2140 Gardiner Ln, Louisville, KY 40205
• Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. -7 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m