Thermo Fisher Scientific Builds Bicycles for Walker

Employees from Waltham-based Thermo Fisher Scientific spent a recent fall afternoon donating new bicycles to children at the Walker School in Needham.  Landry’s Bicycles of Natick contributed to the donation and was also on hand to make sure the bikes fit properly and adjust them if needed.

“So many of our children miss out on the normal rights of passage, learning how to ride a bike and receiving your own new bicycle is an experience no child should miss.” said Matt Cooney, Residential Director at Walker “What Thermo Fisher did was to fill a void in these six children’s lives with a gift that keeps on giving.  The smiles were endless that day for those children and what makes me happiest is not the gift of the bicycle but rather the message that they are worth receiving special gifts”

Walker’s collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific began in 2007 with a Global Leadership Program team-building exercise, part of an executive training program created to develop and retain the next generation of company leaders. Participants worked in groups to assemble the children’s bicycles and several children in the Walker residential program arrived later at the event to receive the custom-built bikes as gifts.

Since 2007, Thermo Fisher Scientific has donated 30 custom-built bikes to children at Walker.  This partnership was strengthened when volunteers from Thermo Fisher’s MBA Leadership Development Program visited Walker for a pizza party, and each child was presented with their very own “Build-A-Bear” stuffed toy.  Thermo Fisher Scientific has supported science-based activities and education at the Walker School with two generous sponsorships; MBA program participants have also volunteered at the Walker School to build model volcanoes with the students, and participants from both the MBA and intern program have also volunteered with children in Walker’s residential program to perform exciting science experiments.

“Walker is fortunate to have the support of so many talented friends who believe that community outreach and philanthropy are important steps on the path to corporate leadership.” says Walker’s executive director Rick Small.  “We are grateful that dedicated employees from Thermo Fisher Scientific have invested their time and enthusiasm to improve the lives of children at Walker.”