Bike to Work Week this week is a novel time where many of us dust off our barely ridden bicycles and brave the dangers of weather and road, partaking in the pleasures of both recreation and transportation.
For some, however, there is no choice between modes of transportation. Regardless of weather, commuting distance, or even preference, the Comox Valley’s low-income earners are increasingly relying on the low-cost alternative of bicycling.
World Community Bikes has worked with the Salvation Army, Transition Society, AIDS Vancouver Island and many more local organizations to get bicycles into the hands of those who need them.
By collecting donations and dedicating tireless volunteer hours, World Community Bike has put dozens of bikes onto the road, not to mention saving them from the landfill.
The recipients of World Community Bikes’ donations often come from challenging lives, and these challenges have had an equal impact on the state of repair of many of the bicycles which are relied on for everything from personal transportation to large load hauling.
In conjunction with Bike To Work Week, World Community Bikes will partner with AIDS Vancouver Island to help those in need get their bikes ready for summer.
The Quick Tunes & Tips event will provide minor maintenance and repairs, as well as a forum for sharing the tips and tricks of bike maintenance on a budget. The event will be hosted at AVI’s offices on the corner of Sixth Street and England Avenue on May 30 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
If you would like to contribute to World Community Bikes’ mission of ensuring safe and healthy transportation for those in need, donations of bicycles, parts, and accessories are always welcome. Mechanics are always in need, no matter the skill level.
If you have always wanted to learn how to fix bicycles, contact World Community Bikes’ coordinators Valerie and Gordon Sherriff at gvsherr@telus.net or 250-337-5419.
— World Community Bikes
