SACO — On Tuesday morning, about 300 children in the city’s summer park and recreation camps, along with 90 staff members, all in bright yellow and pink shirts, crowded onto the John R. Andrews Eastern Trail pedestrian bridge. Cars honked as they passed below on Route 1.

The “kid mob” was a kick-off for the Saco Bikes for Kids campaign, a local effort to raise money for 25 bicycles and helmets for the city’s recreation program in its summer camps and after-school programs.

The effort is a way to promote the Eastern Trail, particularly among youth, and create enthusiasm for healthy lifestyles, said campaign organizers.

In honor of the city’s 250th anniversary, organizers are asking for donations from private individuals and local businesses in the amount of $2.50, $25 and $250. The goal is to raise $7,500 by September, said Justin Chenette, one of the campaign organizers.

Eastern Trail Alliance President and Saco City Planner Bob Hamblen said he had the idea to acquire bicycles for the city, after a similar program was initiated at Kennebunk Elementary School.

He sought help from Saco resident Melissa Field, and Chenette, a member of Saco Spirit and the Saco 250th committee and a candidate for the Statehouse.

“It seems like such a natural progression to move from celebrating Saco’s first 250 years to having our young people inspire us all to think about the city’s future,” said Chenette.

Field came up with the idea of the “kid mob” to kick-start the campaign, and photos of the event will used in promotional material. She said they are also thinking of initiating a photo contest where children take pictures on the trail with smartphones, and encourage children to use smartphones as a “nature docent in your pocket” to look up items found in nature and further spark enthusiasm for the trail.

Kevin Lombard, program director at Saco Parks & Recreation, said the summer camps are using the Eastern Trail as much as possible, and part of the staff’s orientation was to walk from Thornton Academy to the pedestrian bridge on the trail.

“It’s a great local resource for our campers,” he said.

Lombard said summer camp participants typically bring their own bicycles for optional bicycle trips. He said the program has a few bicycles, and the proposed 25 bicycles and helmets would be a nice addition.

For information on how to make a donation, go online to www.easterntrail.org.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.