BWIRC asking for help
The Following is from our friends at Bike/Walk Indian River County (BWIRC)
BWIRC Supporters and Vero Cycling Members:
Many of you are familiar with The Bike Rehab Project having donated time, money, bikes and/or parts over the years. We need your help again now, as explained below.
The Bike Rehab Project was started years ago by Malcolm Allen, owner of Orchid Island Bikes and Kayaks, and Deputy Teddy Floyd from the Sheriff’s Office. The program has become a major program initiative of Bike Walk Indian River County (BWIRC) under Malcolm’s oversight. Teddy is also still actively involved in the program and serves on the BWIRC board.
BWIRC collects donated bikes, rehabs those bikes using our team of volunteer bike mechanics and distributes the bikes, along with helmets, to people in our community who need reliable transportation to get to work or school. We also rehab and distribute children’s bikes and helmets through the Gifford Youth Achievement Center, the Sheriff’s Office and other local child services organizations. We currently rehab and distribute about 400 bikes and helmets a year. We also provide locks and lights. Most of our bike recipients also receive safety training taught by a credentialed League Cycling Instructor. The training focuses on teaching people the rules of the road as they apply to bicycles, and techniques for riding safely in an urban environment.
The program was been very successful in helping people in our community who need a “hand up.” In fact, the Bike Rehab Project was recognized as the Program of the Year by the Florida Bicycle Association.
United Against Poverty (UP) has also been a key partner. UP reviews and processes applications for bikes, provides a classroom for our safety classes and, until recently, provided warehouse space to store our bikes. However, UP is in the process of moving. Unfortunately, they are not able to continue to provide us with warehouse space.
In order to continue to operate the program at its current scale, we need warehouse space to store our bikes. In a perfect world, we would simply lease warehouse space. However, we are a grass roots, volunteer program. We currently do not have the financial resources that would be required to lease a warehouse.
I’m hoping that someone reading this email will know someone in our community with warehouse space that they would be willing to let us use to store our bikes. Ideally, we need about 1,500 sq feet. Although, we could probably scale back the program some (with minimal impact on the bike recipients) and get by with less space.
If you know anyone who might be willing to provide us with space, please contact me (hugh@theaarons.com), Malcolm (malcolm@orchidislandbikesandkayaks.com) or Greg Speck (gregspeck@gmail.com).
Thanks!
Hugh Aaron
League Cycling Instructor #4671
Volunteer Bike/Ped Safety Advocate President, Bike Walk Indian River County, Inc.
