A non-profit organization that provides mountain bike outings and environmental education for underprivileged children says they are facing an uphill battle to stay afloat since the death of one of their co-founders.

Cat Weaver works on a bike at the garage at the home left by Trips for Kids co-founder Mario Théoret. (CBC) who died last fall after his bicycle collided with a transport truck. Trips for Kids Ottawa co-founder Cat Weaver said the group has been running their organization out of the home of Mario Théoret, a tireless volunteer for the group

​Théoret bequeathed to Weaver his home, which features a double garage perfect for the maintenance and storage of the organizations mountain bikes.

But Weaver said it's been a struggle to pay the bills for the house, and now the group is considering moving to another location if one became available.

"The ideal is to stay here, but if there was a commercial space that could be given to use, that would be an option too," said Weaver.

Mario Théoret was very involved with Ottawa's cycling community and co-founded the Ottawa chapter of Trips for Kids, a bike program for underprivileged children. (Photo submitted by Cat Weaver) She said the group is working to become a charity, and hopes to have charitable status within the next three months.

"We have to change direction find some grant writers to help us secure some money to help us continue running our program," she said.

Support comes from family of man killed in Kabul

The group got an unexpected bit of generosity from the family of Martin Glazer, the Gatineau accountant killed in a Taliban attack at a restaurant in Kabul along with co-worker Peter McSheffrey.

The Glazer's family asked that in lieu of flowers for his funeral on Feb. 1, donations to either the Canadian Cancer Society or Trips for Kids Ottawa.

"I was honoured to get a phone call from his family," said Weaver.

“Martin was an avid mountain biker but also loved children as well.”