Kalispell residents who have had a bicycle lost or stolen in the last several months will want to make efforts to claim it as soon as possible.

The Kalispell Police Department announced that it will donate all found and abandoned bicycles from October 2017 through April 2018 that aren’t claimed.

According to the police department, the bicycles will be given away sometime in May, possibly as soon as Tuesday, May 1 or Tuesday, May 8.

Kalispell Police Department collects an average of 35 to 50 abandoned bicycles of all kinds every year inside city limits.

The department searches to try to match the bikes with stolen reports.

This spring the department will donate any unclaimed bicycles to the Elks Lodge in Kalispell.

“We typically donate bikes twice a year,” department Evidence Custodian Susie Phillips said. “Last year we donated bikes to The Elks and The Samaritan House and in 2016 we donated bikes to The Elks and The Salvation Army.”

The donated bikes are “as is” and most need a lot of work to get them up and ready to ride safely.

Phillips explained that in the past three years, the Elks Lodge has created an outstanding bike program. It receives a grant to cover the cost of parts needed to refurbish the used bikes.

The Elks also provide helmets to all riders and registers all bikes with the city of Kalispell free of charge. Once the bikes are ready, the Elks have a day where the public is invited to come to the lodge and be fitted for a “new” bike.

“This is a really positive program for our community that helps not only kids, but adults as well, who cannot afford bikes. We, at the Kalispell Police Department, are glad to see the unclaimed bikes go to a good cause,” Phillips said.

For those who have lost or had a bike stolen, call the department at 758-7772 with a description of it.