BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A Lehigh Valley group that pushes for mixed-transit and pedestrianism has launched an effort to get upwards of 200 restored bicycles into the fingers of Lehigh Valley households this vacation season.
The Coalition for Appropriate Transportation, or CAT, is granting free bikes for youngsters aged 5-12, aimed toward households dealing with monetary hardship, via Dec. 30 whereas provides final.
Families who get a CAT-renewed bicycle additionally will get a brand new helmet, CAT bike good certificates and an invite to youth bike schooling occasions held by the nonprofit within the new yr.
The organization is utilizing volunteer labor to revive bikes donated to them all year long to like-new situation, outfitting them with wanted tire, brake and different upgrades to be road-ready.
Last yr, 156 bikes had been rebuilt for this system by the volunteer mechanics at CAT’s in-house bicycle co-op. This yr, it is capturing for 200 bikes to be restored by a crew of about 25 volunteers.
CAT Executive Director Scott Slingerland mentioned that previously six years of this system, greater than 600 bikes have been distributed.
“Our objective is to succeed in out and have the mother and father decide up bikes and provides them to their youngsters as items for the vacations.”
CAT Executive Director Scott Slingerland
“Some individuals solely come as soon as, like a mom and daughter are available and assist build a motorcycle for someone else, or mother and father bringing their youngsters or adults who’re excited to leap in,” Slingerland mentioned.
“Our objective is to succeed in out and have the mother and father decide up bikes and provides them to their youngsters as items for the vacations.”
Jay Bradley
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LehighValleyInformation.com
CAT Board President Bill Meiklejohn famous the work it takes to carry the bikes again to prime situation with new components and repairs.
“Each one takes about 4 to 5 hours,” Meiklejohn mentioned. “So we’re taking a look at in all probability 800 to 1,000 hours price of labor.”
Throughout the yr, CAT does academic packages at faculties and different group areas to show bike security, and offers details about discovering routes and utilizing the bikes for transportation.
Meiklejohn mentioned households who get a motorcycle from the nonprofit’s vacation program shall be invited to the classes.
The nonprofit’s web site additionally offers a listing of assets for native cyclists, together with a listing of area people organizations and legal guidelines associated to biking and pedestrianism in Pennsylvania.
A useful resource for young and old cyclists
The bicycle co-op operates out of CAT’s location at 1935 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, and seeks to be a low-cost and protected location for individuals to return in and get bikes serviced year-round.
Slingerland mentioned the hassle to revive youngsters’s bikes takes focus on the workshop in November and December, when the volunteers rebuild bikes to make them nearly as good as new.
Jay Bradley
/
LehighValleyInformation.com
Volunteer David Gottlieb mentioned he appreciates the chance to volunteer for the challenge in his retirement, permitting him to actually work together with his “mind and his fingers on the identical time.”
“We’re giving again to individuals that actually need bikes, and actually need to work on bikes,” Gottlieb mentioned.
“Anyone can are available with no expertise in fixing bikes or being a mechanic, and so they can be taught from someone else,” Meiklejohn mentioned.
“Then after they have a talent, like in the event that they discover ways to repair a flat tire, then most definitely inside per week or two they’re serving to someone else repair a flat tire.”
“We simply need to do some little factor to assist them have a contented holidays for his or her youngsters.”
CAT Executive Director Scott Slingerland
Volunteers engaged on a recent day famous pleasure in with the ability to get the bikes into the fingers of individuals that may profit from them at no cost.
“Over time [the program] is rising, but additionally, when the households write to us, they inform us tales like what is going on on their lives,” Slingerland mentioned.
“We simply need to do some little factor to assist them have a contented holidays for his or her youngsters.”
To reserve a motorcycle, Slingerland mentioned to e-mail [email protected] with the age, peak and optionally the gender of their youngster.
Those at CAT be aware they all the time are searching for donations of funds, bicycles or components to gas their effort, in addition to new volunteers for the co-op.
