Communitiy Cycling Center's Holiday Bike Drive
November 30, 2005
All this talk of bikey wish lists made me realize I haven't talked much about the most heartwarming event of the season: The Community Cycling Center's (CCC) Holiday Bike Drive (HBD). I've been working on this event for about five years and I think it's absolutely amazing.
Through this program, the CCC will provide bikes to 1,000 very deserving little tykes for the winter holidays. Since August, volunteers have been collecting, cleaning and shining bikes. It's going so well, in fact, that Volunteer Coordinator Neal Armstrong (that's his real name!) reports that they've collected nearly 900 bikes to date!
There's still a lot of work to do to get all 1,000 of those hopeful children sponsored for the program. Sponsorship dontations cover all the costs that go into reconditioning the bikes (seats, handle bars, training wheels, new tires) to make them safe. It also covers the costs of a spectacular holiday party for the kids, many of whom come from families that struggle to fill the wish lists of their children.
You can make dreams come true for these little ones by making a $50 sponsorship donation today. If that's too much for you, get some friends or coworkers together and go in on it with you. You can also donate less than $50, for sure. Online, in person, over the phone: plenty of options.
For more information, see the CCC website.
I'd love to hear from some of you who've been there to experience the magic. I know a lot of our readers have volunteered for the event. Isn't it amazing? By the way, there are only a few volunteer slots left, so call Neal at 503/546.8864 if you're interested in helping at the event. STILL NEEDED: lots of skilled mechanics from now until the event to get those bikes in tip-top shape for the kids.
Posted by orbike at November 30, 2005 7:05 AM
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Comments
It's great to hear this event is still happening. I volunteered YEARS ago, at the Legacy hospital, and it was so cool. There were kids everywhere, looking for the coolest bike to take home. There were also volunteers like me everywhere. I don't knwo how to fix bikes, but I took the kids around to look for bikes and get their helmets. Pretty cool.
I started working on Sundays so I never get to go anymore. :(
Posted by: Chris Tully at November 30, 2005 5:07 PM
I love this. I volunteered two years ago with my best friend. I wrenched, he escorted kids. it was just really incredible to see that room all filled with people and bikes, but mostly KIDS and BIKES! And these kids are so happy. They don't even care if there are scratches on the bikes, they just want their bike their bike their bike!!!!
Posted by: Patsy at November 30, 2005 5:22 PM
Chris it is great to hear that you really enjoyed the Holiday Bike Drive. It's a bummer that you won't be there on Sunday but you can still help by Volunteering on Tuesday or Wednesday nights from 7-9 pm at the CCC.
Posted by: Jordan at November 30, 2005 5:27 PM
This will be the third year that John and I have wrenched and escorted respectively at the Holiday Bike Drive, Portland and Vancouver. It is part of our holiday tradition, in that it emphasizes giving, not buying.
The reactions of the kids ranged from estactic to pretty somber, until that moment when they had gotten a helmet, picked out a bike, had the bike checked out, and finally got to take a spin outside on Their bikes. If they hadn't smiled yet, the smiles came through like sunshine through the clouds.
The wise folks from CCC observed that some of these kids had gotten disappointed many times before in life, so they might wait until it was a really sure thing that a bike was really their's.
Thank you Ayleen, Tom, Gabe, Neal, Dan, everyone who works or worked all year to make this goodness happen.
Posted by: Susan H at November 30, 2005 6:36 PM
If you want to help promote bicycle use now and for the future. The CCC's Holiday Bike Drive is the perfect volunteer opportunity. It reaches out to low income youth & families and gives them an opportunity to experience the freedom of biking. Also taught me how much need there is in Portland, the people who received the bikes were very grateful, it's a happy time for everyone involved.
I will be helping deliver the bikes on Dec. 10th if you want to help, feel free to contact the CCC for times.
Posted by: Jeff Bernards at December 2, 2005 9:14 PM