Kids These Days

Bikes for the World is a great place to earn student service learning hours. It's fun, protects our environment, makes a huge impact on lives around the world, and for the students involved, it's an incredible learning experience.

At Bikes for the World we think it's important to teach students about the cause; to show them why they are volunteering and how that work affects lives. Every project starts with an introduction to our program with an emphasis on the project(s) that will benefit most from their direct service project or hours - whether that's a collection, loading, or bike prepping session in the warehouse. 

This season we had nine collections organized and managed by students who ranged in age from 17 to 13. Between them they collected 561 bikes that will be sent overseas to help improve people's access to work, school, and health services.

Jack, the youngest, was working on his Eagle project with troop 666. He set a goal of 50 bikes, stating in his Eagle Scout Service Project Handbook, "I will continue to stay at my collection until my goal is met." Ensuring that he didn't keep Keith there until midnight, Jack managed to collect, transport, and store 50 bikes before his collection date. He ended up with 105 bikes total.

Collection Managers are responsible for setting up the location, recruiting volunteers, training them, and promoting the event. For students it means interacting with adults in a way many of them never have.

Some students who approach us to do a service project do not live in our immediate area. This comes with the added challenge of sometimes needing to either organize the delivery of bikes to our Arlington warehouse or in some cases storage of the bikes until we can pick them up. Louis organized and executed his entire collection in Pittsburgh without any hands on mentoring from BfW. We were in constant contact with him via email but all the work was overseen by Louis himself.

For Louis, Jackie, and Josephine, all report the hardest part of the collection process was talking with the Media. But it pays off, these three managers collected half of the total number of bikes our nine young managers collected this past season.

Jackie actually got out of school to do a  LIVE interview on WRIC's noon show to help promote her collection at Maggie Walker Governor's School in Richmond last week.

Josephine, a student at Jefferson High School, in addition to talking with reporters, also had to attend a town council meeting to request permission to reserve a space and talk to police to have the street closed. While BfW offers clear, easy steps to doing a collection event, it often requires students to step out of their comfort zones to really make a huge impact in our program. Josie ended up collecting 105 bikes as well.

Josie visited rural areas of the Philippines last summer and saw first hand how important bikes can be to a poor person's access to work, school and medicine. She wanted to make a difference. Many of the bikes she collected were donated last month to rural communities in Costa Rica and Barbados.

Turning Grease Into Bronze

Bikes for the World works with dozens of Boy Scouts throughout the year on Eagle projects where they collect bikes to be donated overseas. And we've found the girls LOVE working with us too. So we've made an effort to reach out to area Girl Scout troops to partner with them on collections and in the warehouse.

When asked about volunteering with us, the girls are usually very enthusiastic and that doesn't die down once we put a tool in their hands. The experience is valuable to these young girls who often work alongside Dad, get experience working with a team and following instruction, and actually learn a thing or two about how a bike works and how to use a few basic tools. Gaining mechanical confidence around their bikes is something these girls will take on the road with them for years to come.

The following is an article from Girl Scout Troop 5740, who worked with us in the warehouse:

On Saturday, February 28, 2015 we volunteered with Bikes for the World to fulfill community service requirements to earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award. 

We met at the Bikes for the World warehouse on Eads Street in Arlington, Virginia and volunteered for four hours.We used tools to take apart bikes to ship to Kenya in large containers.We made the bikes smaller by taking off the pedals, lowering the seat and turning the handlebars.

Bikes for the World collects bikes of all models in repairable condition (no tricycles), bike accessories and tools.They partner with non-profits globally to provide affordable used bikes to low-income recipients for access to school, work and healthcare.

We learned a new skill, we got to ride unicycles and bikes with motorcycle wheels.We watched them load 478 bikes into one big shipping container.

We had fun, we worked hard and we helped others in need.We even got dirty! If you want to get involved, check out their website www.BikesfortheWorld.org.

Featured Volunteer: James Branscome

Jim Branscome finally found his way over to King Farm during a very cold March volunteer night after years of telling himself he wanted to get more involved. It was his first time volunteering with us even though he had been a long time supporter of Bikes for the World.

He came into the dark, unheated barn and got to work processing bikes, knocking back the big stack by the time we closed up that evening.

The following week he was back. It was a little warmer and we were loading a container for Barbados. But instead of jumping up on the dock to help load bikes, Jim stuck with processing and even more importantly, mentoring. Jim patiently worked with students there earning student service learning hours required for graduation.

Bikes for the World helps many students graduate by providing rewarding volunteer opportunities at collections, loadings, and regular volunteer nights. We also host school groups, both local and visiting DC, for service projects. The latest group came to us from Georgia and included over 20 students.

Because we recently took in over 4,000 bikes from the DICK'S Sporting Goods promotion we had plenty of work in our warehouse. However, in order to properly mentor that many students at once, we need good 'lieutenants' on hand. Again, Jim stepped up and worked with students processing bikes, many of them never holding a pedal wrench or hex wrench before.

When you bring in 1,000 bikes a day you need help! And we found that help in some unlikely places. Jim Branscome, and better yet, Jim Mitchell (who we've already told you is a BfW superstar) braved the beltway traffic during rush hour to come down to our Pentagon City warehouse not just once, but several times, to help us take in the donated bikes from DICK'S.

Jim says he didn't mean to come as often as he did to help. In fact, I think he was there 4 times, to the tune of about 4,000 bikes! He was in the trailer every time helping Nick untangle and offload truckload after truckload of DICK'S bikes. And you don't accidentally end up in Crystal City when you live on the far side of the beltway, I can assure you.

Kaila, Karen, Carol, Jim, Harvey, Nick, and Kim

Jim will humbly tell you, it wasn't just him, and he's right. Randy Swart, of the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, Harvey Sachs, Jim Mitchell, Kim Sanderhoff of FreeBike Project (all the way from LA), Carol Goodloe, and Karen, Rich, and George (all BfW board members) came out to several DICK'S unloads and moved thousands of bikes with us.

Oh, and we can't forget Phil Ruth, long, long time, dedicated volunteer, who drove from OK a little early just to be part of this effort (and has now relocated to NOVA). And he'll tell you he didn't pull us through either, but with his help processing hundreds of bikes that first weekend, picking up bikes, and delivering ply board to us to stack bikes...he played a big part in our successes receiving so many bikes in such a short time.

Thank you to everyone who helped the past few weeks in Arlington. This year's DICK'S promotion was even bigger than the first two years. We are still receiving bikes from the promotion and expect our final totals to be well over 5,000 bikes. Add to that the hundreds of bikes we took in locally over the past two months and you'll find about 6,300 bikes currently sitting in our warehouse. To put that in perspective: Bikes for the World donated a total of 5,823 bikes in our first year.

Featured Volunteer: What Moves Us?

Jim Mitchell. Bikes for the World's Featured Volunteer of August is a valuable part of what keeps us moving. And he's inspiring too!

We met Jim a decade ago when his church was collecting bikes to be sent overseas. Back then he was just a volunteer with the Wesley Freedom United Methodist Church and St. Joseph Catholic Community annual collection. For the last six years he's been managing it.

"They have had huge collections together! I've filled up 26' trucks, one time I came in a 16' and had to leave some (bikes) and come back later in the week." Keith Oberg, Director BfW

Wesley Freedom collections have brought in bikes that could fill over three containers the last decade. Jim assisted previous manager Lou Rimbach before Lou moved to the Eastern Shore and Jim took over. Between the two of them they have collected over 1300 bikes for Bikes for the World, easily netting over 100 bikes every spring.

"I believe that it is important that we give back whenever possible, globally and locally. I love cycling and I think that's why BfW is a good fit for me.  I especially enjoy helping with the loading of containers (except 3rd tiers)." Jim Mitchell

Jim has been involved with Bikes for the World at every level. He appreciates the importance of a bicycle and what it can do to help change lives. He also understands the importance of volunteering as an individual and a community.

Besides mentoring volunteers at the Wesley Freedom UMC collection, Jim has regularly been involved with our volunteer night at King Farm. He claims it's mostly processing bikes and 'socializing', but he's also joined us for loadings. Jim has shared his insights and skills with many younger volunteers coming through King Farm. His role as mentor is valued in the organization.

Jim has also helped us at events such as the Stop, Swap, and Save in Westminster where he helps spread the excitement about Bikes for the World. And when he's not wielding a pedal wrench you might find him with a loaded truck and trailer, picking up bikes at Race Pace Bicycles.

Jim recently retired from Howard County Public Schools where he was serving as the Supervisor of Transportation. His professional logistics and management expertise have certainly helped organize our Baltimore area pick ups.

But where those skills are put to even better use, is with Jim's other passion,the South Carroll Food Pantry. Here Jim helps coordinate the distribution of over 8,000 lbs of food each month. The Pantry has also donated paper products, such as diapers, household products, and even some children's books.
We appreciate the work Jim does with Bikes for the World, whether he is mentoring young people at King Farm, picking up bikes from shops in Howard County, or having fun at a DICK'S Sporting Goods event. It's all an important part of what we do.

But we also salute the work he does outside BfW. In addition to his critical role in Carroll County feeding people in need, Jim has also been involved with storm disaster relief  for the past two decades. After Katrina hit in 2005, Jim spent eight months in Mississippi helping victims rebuild their lives and communities.

Jim stands by his word, he IS giving back globally AND locally.

We're Getting A Face Lift!

Yes, we have been promising this for a long time, but it's almost here. In fact you should visit the old site one last time in case you want to say goodbye.

www.bikesfortheworld.org

By this time next week we feel confident in saying THE NEW long awaited website WILL BE LAUNCHED!

 

So what's NEW? Where do we start? Above you can see what the new home page will look like. We heard you wanted more pictures, so we are giving you photos right off the bat! Looks like the top of our blog, right? Exactly. Except on the website, these pictures (#1 above) will actually slide open when you hover over them. And if you click on them they will open a landing page inviting you to come even further into this new and improved website.

This is just another way to start your journey into our new website. We will still have a navigation bar at the top of the page, but with even more options! Once you hover over one of these boxes (#2 above) a drop down menu will open with even more boxes below, all leading to a unique related page.

But wait, the Collection Schedule button at the top is missing! No worries, it's still right there under Donate A Bike. And if you miss the button on the top just click on Donate A Bike...TADA, right there is your collection schedule as easy as you found it before.

Many of the same pages will appear on this new site, but more organized and with a better Bikes for the World look. We hope if you are looking to volunteer or organize your own collection you'll quickly and easily find what you need to get started. And all along the way to be exact. At the bottom of the Organize A Collection tab you will find Resources that will help you prepare for your collection.

And under Who We Benefit you'll find great information on where your bikes end up.Under International Partners are programs are highlighted and under Success Stories actual beneficiaries tell you how your old bike changed their lives. This is a great place to help tell YOUR story. So when you contact a reporter who wants to cover your collection, you can point them right to this tab on our website for actual stories from overseas.

Back on the Home Page...the bottom of the page has a map showing where we have shipped our bikes over the past eight years. If you click on it you will be directed to an interactive Google map that also highlights our global partners.

If you aren't already following us on Social Media, look at the top of our site (#3 above) It's super easy to start! We have quick informative updates on facebook and twitter. Have you seen our photo albums on Picasa? Videos on YouTube? I can tell you already read our blog! Check out the Share Bar (#4 above) on the left of the site. This will follow you no matter where you go. And if you see something you like: SHARE IT! Tell your friends about us, invite them to join us!

And last, but certainly not least...the right side of the home page. First, a bike counter letting you know how many bikes we've shipped to date. Under that you'll find our latest News & Events. Find out about loadings, collections, events, what's new on the blog...right here on our new home page. And if you want updates in your inbox, we've got that too! Just sign up to receive our newsletter and you'll get a quick synopsis monthly.

So there you go....your introduction to the new and improved website. Due out any day now. We'll give you a head's up on facebook when we launch or you can keep checking to see when we hit the switch. But I promise you, we are hours away...

And we couldn't have done it without our amazing web team Confluence, who made all the pretty stuff happen.