Outreach to Kids and the Larger Community - Recycle-a-Bicycle:

Transportation Alternatives Middletown's presence at the Green Street Arts festival 2007 was well received.

Shane, Tim, Beth, Steve, and Shawn, brought bike tools, pumps, and used bikes to be raffled away. John, Jennifer, Vijay and others, brought bikes and children to the festivities at Green St and took advantage of the bike tune-up. A dozen or so bikes where tuned up by Shawn. The young and the old who had their bike tuned up or watched the bike tune-ups, witnessed how easy it is to do general maintenance on your own bike.

For the used bike raffle we had 9 bikes and helmets, ready to raffle off, and many excited youngsters, waiting for the raffle to take place, hoping that they would win a bike. They keep asking, can I ride a bike now? When is the raffle going to be? Unfortunately a thunderstorm rolled in and took away our thunder. The bikes where taken inside, and the raffle of the bikes never materialized as the festival fizzled.

Shane has agreed to hold onto the bikes for now, but if someone has a bigger basement, or garage and would like to store them until we come up with a plan for giving away the bikes, please let Shane or myself know.

We would like to get feed back on the following new project; FREE bikes for Kids, (and maybe adults) in need of one. Gary, one of the owners of Pedal Power, said that they were aware of a group in Durham who gives away free bikes, and rumor has it that the operation will be shutting down. Apparently they have a pretty steady supply of free (?) used bikes coming and going, more than a 100 a year. Are there folks out there who would like to help make this project a reality. Do you think it a good idea, and more importantly, if so, what is the best way to make it successful? In what way can you help make it a success? Let us know, and give a shout out to Transportation Alternatives Middletown and we'll get going on this project.

Learn more about Recycle-a-Bicycle projects in New Britain and New York.