South East Lake & Norwood Bike Project

We are a group of volunteers working with kids in our South East Lake neighborhood to help the kids earn bikes. (We have also been asked to bring the project to Norwood so we are uping the goal to add a new neighborhood and thus MORE BIKES AND BIKE REPAIRS). In exchange for a community service (picking up trash, cutting grasss for elderly neighbors, etc) the kids can earn a bike. Bikes and helmets are donated to the effort and volunteers repair the bikes, whether it be inner tubes, chains or brakes--the work is done for free but funding is still needed for bike parts. We also use funding to buy bikes at thrift stores and yard sales. To date we have repaired and placed 23 bikes and repaired 11 of those utilizing only $140, but have more bikes on the way. We need to also buy tools so the kids can work on their bikes as repairs are needed (tools are kept at a volunteers house) and the kids come there to use tools and seek guidance on repairs. Parts for repairs are earned through additional service work. Just $5 will help buy an inner tube or 2 bike helmets at the thrift store!