Ferguson-Murphy Charities gifts holiday bikes to kids in LifeWorks NW relief nurseries and programs.
It was pouring rain on December 17, but that didn’t keep Bart or Ted Ferguson’s spirits down. The cousins – who act more like brothers – were spending that Tuesday morning doing what they love most: delivering bikes to kids for Christmas.
Rain or shine, for more than a decade, the duo at the helm of Ferguson-Murphy Charities Inc. have spent the week leading up to the holiday delivering bikes throughout the Portland area, and LifeWorks NW is always at the top of their list.
“Our number priority is the relief nurseries,” says Bart. “I will just ask, ‘LifeWorks, how many bikes do you need?’” and then the Fergusons make it happen. This year, they delivered 112 bikes to the Sylvan site to be distributed across various LifeWorks NW programs.
The inspiration came from time Bart spent volunteering at a relief nursery when he was a student at the University of Oregon. “The mission of the relief nursery is to help the family unit stay together,” says Bart. “I loved working with the families and supporting the kids in what could be challenging times.”
Years later, when looking for a way to give back, Bart called up the St. John’s relief nursery, asked what he could donate, and the response was bikes and helmets. The rest, as they say, was history.
Well, almost. Bart started small. As the story goes, Bart and Ted play in a nine-person folk-rock band, and Bart began by committing the earnings from one of their shows to cover the cost of donating two bikes. He roped Ted into his efforts and got another two bikes covered. And the rest is history.
Ok, still not quite. Bart’s dad had been organizing a fundraising run for many years. The run raised a bit of money for assorted charities through t-shirt sales and small donations. The Ferguson-Murphy Beer Run happens every Christmas Eve, with a 6:30 am start time at the Multnomah Athletic Club. It’s quirky. It’s Portland.
And now, it’s Bart and Ted’s annual event. When Bart’s dad handed over the reins of the run to the cousins, they saw it as an opportunity to pair their bike donations with the Ferguson-Murphy Beer Run and Bike Ride, and, well, you guessed it: The rest is (truly) history.
The Fergusons’ efforts have gone from Bart and Ted delivering four bikes to an operation that has gifted more than 3,000 bikes over the years. In partnership with Fred Meyer, they get bikes at cost and have access to a larger distribution system, allowing them to give more bikes to kids across the region. With their own adult children stepping in to help with deliveries, social media, and other logistics, the Fergusons aim to take on a goal of 500 bikes per year.
“Most kids remember getting a bike, and lots of kids never get a bike,” says Ted, “What matters is that moment – that memory – of getting a bike. That’s really the gift we love to give.”
LifeWorks NW is grateful to Ferguson-Murphy Charities Inc. for making kids' holiday wishes come true, year after year. Learn more about the organization and how to make a gift by visiting fergusonmurphy.org.