Your Bicycle Can Make a Difference This Saturday
Spring clean-up is a good time to think about supporting Pedals for Progress, a non-profit organization that gives hope to people and communities in developing countries by putting our used and discarded bikes to work there.
A donation of any used bike is a simple way to directly help these developing world economies, one bike at a time. This year, in partnership with the Westchester Cycle Club, a bike drive to support Pedals for Progress is being held this Saturday, May 12 from 9 a.m. to noon at Hillside Church, 448 Bedford Rd., (Route 22) in Armonk.
Pedals for Progress rescues bicycles and sewing machines and ships them to developing countries where they are needed and highly valued. Bikes provide basic transportation and also are used as a supplement to school and community programs. The bikes are adapted for use as trash haulers, produce trucks, taxis and farm machinery, and ultimately promote self-sustaining bicycle repair businesses.
The Westchester Cycle Club has collected more than 1,300 bikes in the past seven years.
This year, the bikes will go to Guatemala, where they will be refurbished, given to a bike shop and sold at reasonable prices. Bikes provide support for the local bike shops, which are essential to support non-motorized transportation. The bikes provide crucial transportation – getting a teen to high school, or an adult to his or her job. Sturdy mountain bikes are transport vehicles to carry goods from town to town. Kids’ bikes create a biking culture in communities where the only alternative for the poor may be walking.
Bikes will be refurbished so it’s okay if some repairs are needed, but make sure it hasn’t been left outdoors to rust. Kids bikes are accepted, but not tricycles. This year, the club’s goal is to collect 200 bikes.
There’s a $10 donation requested per bike and sewing machine, to cover shipping costs. The donation and the value of the bike are tax-deductible.
The Westchester Cycle Club is a not-for-profit organization since 1975 and has about 1,400 members. For more information, visit www.westchestercycleclub.org. For information regarding Pedals for Progress, visit http://www.p4p.org.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
