Talk about a success! Nearly as soon as we had the tent and tables set up, kids from the Child’s Park neighborhood showed up with their bikes.
At first they were curious. Who were we? What were we doing? Some of them thought their bikes were riding just fine. The discerning eyes of our experienced volunteers noticed tires that were low on air, brake cables that were loose or disconnected, wobbly tires.
Our awesome and capable volunteer mechanics got to work showing these kids the problems and how to fix them!
While waiting, we were able to give out helmets, courtesy of the
Florida Pedestrian/Bicycling Safety Resource Center. We were able to give out lights and locks to many of them, thanks to funds raised through the Bike Co-op’s membership program and other fundraising events. (Donate here to help us offer more events like this!!)
This event wouldn’t have happened without collaboration. Our co-organizer, John Muhammed, with Community Training and Development, Inc. stopped by with his daughter to fix up their bikes. They learned more about their bikes and how to fix and maintain them. Brother John and I were also able to carry on the conversation about future events!
Over the course of our 4 hours event, we (the St. Pete Bike Co-op) provided direct support to 15 youths from the Child’s Park neighborhood and 2 adults. More kids were hanging around with their friends, checking out what was going on…
Next month we’ll be doing a pop-up at James Weldon Johnson Community Library. We’ll be back at Child’s Park in April, and likely on a monthly basis after that. We’re working with Brother John to determine dates that best reflect the community’s needs.
St. Pete Bike Co-op 