SACO — Saco Parks and Recreation participants are now riding the Eastern Trail in style.

The Saco Bikes for Kids campaign, a local effort to promote use of the Eastern Trail and healthy lifestyles among youth, debuted 25 shiny, new bikes and helmets Thursday morning. Local parks and recreation summer campers took an inaugural ride on the Diamondback trail bikes at the John R. Andrews Eastern Trail pedestrian bridge.

The bikes and equipment, which will be used by children in the city’s parks and recreation program, were purchased from funds collected over the past year from 46 contributors, as well as a penny fundraiser organized by the children at Saco Parks   and Recreation.

“Thanks to our strong community support, local kids will spend many summers enjoying the special treasure of the Eastern Trail,” said State Rep. Justin Chenette, one of the organizers of Saco Bikes for Kids. “We have such great trails in Maine, and not everyone utilizes them.”

Chenette said there are funds left over that will be used for necessary repairs or replacement of helmets in the future.

The campaign began a year ago with a photo shoot of about 300 parks and recreation participants wearing neon shirts on the pedestrian bridge.

“It kicked off with a lot of fun energy,” said organizer Melissa Field.

Saco Bikes for Kids has also done a photo contest on Facebook, and Field said there are plans for a future project that will use technology to promote trail use.

The bikes will be used by children in the third through eighth grades on the Eastern Trail as well as other areas, said Kevin Lombard, program director for Saco Parks and Recreation. The summer camp program is divided into teams, and throughout the summer, the teams will take turns exploring different sections of the Eastern Trail, he said.

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