Bikes for the World, EH?

Bob Evans mentoring a group of students during winter load

From Director Keith Oberg: 
Bikes for the World is a “do-it-yourself” volunteer-based organization built on the muscle, guidance, talent, and energy of un-paid individuals who contribute without any monetary reward.  This should not mean that they go un-recognized, and over the next few months, Bikes for the World will feature several who have been instrumental in enabling us to transition to a more effective, larger-scale network.   These include board members, “key volunteers” distinguished by sustained participation, and representatives of our 100+ community partners who have been instrumental in successful collection and outreach events.

One individual who merits recognition at this time is Alexandria-resident and super-cyclist Bob Evans.  Bikes for the World has benefited from Bob’s business and communications background in moving forward on institutional issues, including the recent contracting of a firm to revise the Bikes for the World website.  He has dedicated many hundreds of hours to basic physical tasks, including moving, sorting, and prepping bikes for shipment.  He has been a constant presence processing bikes, fixing bikes for our TERRIFIC youth program in Rockville and for the occasional sale, and loading bikes for overseas destinations. 

Combining these two elements, Bob has occupied a key role in representing Bikes for the World and leading less-experienced and new volunteers, at collections, loadings, and other public events.  From time to time, he has opened up our Thursday volunteer night at Rockville; of late, this spring, he has regularly done the same on Saturday afternoons for incoming trucks at our Lorton site.   He is among the select few that have taken on the physical and leadership challenges of the infamous” third tier” in shipping containers, enabling us to load more shipments.    

Bob doing his thing during DSG unload

The bad news is: Bob is moving on and re-locating to Toronto Canada.  The good news is that he has the initiative, analytical and inter-personal skills, and physical energy to assess feasibility of, and create, a Bikes for the World affiliate or sister initiative in that five-million inhabitant Metropolitan area.   So the even better news is that we will continue in touch and in all likelihood work together to foster a growing, continent-wide movement for tapping the power of used bicycles for community service and learning, and sustainable human development.

Thanks Bob...you, your patience, your skills, and your ipod will be missed!