Bikes Not Bombs Update
Written by Boston Biker on Aug 26from Bikes Not Bombs:
Enrolling for Adult Instructor Training, Girls In Action, and Earn-A-Bike
Applications are now available for summer Adult Instructor Training, and fall Girls In Action and Earn-A-Bike.
Adult Instructor Training is a free 30-hour course taught by BNB Youth Employees that provides the foundation in basic bike mechanics, teaching methods, role modeling and leadership, and age and gender sensitivity that you need to successfully volunteer in BNB Youth Programs. In exchange for this free program, Adult Instructors are REQUIRED to volunteer a minimum of one program day per week from 3pm-7pm in at least one session of Earn-A-Bike or Girls In Action. The training runs August 19th – August 30th, Monday – Wednesday & Friday, 6-9PM.
Girls In Action (girls only) and Earn-A-Bike (co-ed) are open to youth ages 12-18. Over the course of these six-week programs youth will completely refurbish a donated bike that they can take home upon graduation. Girls In Action will run from September 9th – October 10th, and Earn-A-Bike will run fromOctober 21st – November 21st. There are a limited number of spots available and applicants are chosen based on application date, and the applicant’s availability and willingness to commit to the schedule, Monday – Thursday, 3:30 – 6:30PM.
For more information please call Ashley Leary, Co-Director of Youth Programs at 617-522-0222 x101, or email her at [email protected].
Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013 at 8am
Space with a Soul
281 Summer Street, 7th floor
Boston, MA 02210
Save the date! Bikes Not Bombs’ third annual Building Momentum Breakfast will take placeWednesday, October 23rd at 8am at Space with a Soul in the Fort Point Channel area of Boston. The Building Momentum Breakfast is designed to raise critical financial support for Bikes Not Bombs and spread the word about our innovative work using donated bicycles as a tool for self-empowerment and community transformation. The event will feature breakfast from our friends at Ula Cafe, inspiring stories from individuals who have been impacted by our work, a short video, and more. While attendees will be asked to consider making a donation to support Bikes Not Bombs, there is no obligation to give!
Call for Table Captains! Signing up as a Table Captain is a great way to increase your impact at Bikes Not Bombs and ensure that the third annual Building Momentum Breakfast is a success! As a Table Captain you will be responsible for bringing nine people to the Building Momentum Breakfast – friends, family, and colleagues – anyone who you think will connect with the mission and work of Bikes Not Bombs. We will host a kick-off event for Table Captains on August 19th to guide you through the process and provide you with all the information and materials you’ll need. Again, while this is a fundraiser, there is no obligation for Table Captains or guests to donate at the event.
If you would like to receive a formal invitation to the Building Momentum Breakfast or get more information about becoming a Table Captain, contact Erica Rotman, Director of Fundraising & Events, at [email protected]. Click here to read about the second annual Building Momentum Breakfast.
Do you have parts leftover from upgrading your bikes? Instead of sitting around unused, that derailleur could be keeping a rural health worker’s bike on the road in Northern Uganda so they can reach more people, connect them to health care, and save lives! And if you ride with friends or in a club, please put out the word, collect parts together, and then bring them in to Bikes Not Bombs!
We need these parts by mid-September, when we will send a second shipment of bikes and parts to our newly developed partner project that so far has outfitted more than 300 community health workers with bikes.
Items we can especially use:
- Front Derailleurs made for mountain bikes, or that fit a triple chain ring. Road and hybrid derailleurs may work as well.
- Rear Derailleurs made for mountain bikes, or otherwise a long cage derailleur
- Rapid-fire, grip, or thumb shifters
- Chains of any type though 7-8 speed chains are especially valuable
- Cantilever brakes or V-brakes
- Tubes and Tires for mountain bikes
Donations are tax deductible. Donors will be asked to assign the fair market value of your donation, please include the name and address where we should send the receipt. Contact Arik Grier,[email protected], 617-522-0222 x100.
This August our Basic Maintenance Clinic will be Wednesday August 14th from 8-9pm and our Flat Fixing Clinic will be Tuesday August 20th from 8-9pm. Check our website for details. As always no need to sign up just be punctual and show up by 8pm!
The Surly Big Dummy is a long tail bike designed around the Xtracycle platform. This means it’s a longer cargo bike with lots of room for bags and carrying stuff—up to 200lbs of cargo. In addition to hauling heavy loads you wouldn’t usually be able to move by bike, with its surprisingly normal ride and handling, the Dummy shines as an everyday grocery getter or kid carrier. Stop by to check it out. It comes in four sizes and we have a medium ready to test ride!
Bikes Not Bombs is looking for artists to feature in our group show at the BNB Hub in the Brewery Complex. We’re looking for bicycle-themed art, or art that highlights an aspect of Bikes Not Bombs’ mission, history, or programs. We are hoping to showcase several types of media (painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, jewelry, photography, video, spoke-card art, etc) and we’re especially looking for art made with recycled bike parts and photographs of our programs. We’re happy to coordinate opportunities for photographers to take photos of our programs or to provide access to old parts bins at BNB.
This is a great opportunity for artists, cyclists, and BNB fans to get creative, have some fun, and support our bicycle-based programs! Even if you do not already have bicycle-themed artwork, we encourage you to create a piece (or more than one piece) to include in this group show. In addition to the exposure of being featured at the event, artists will be listed on the BNB website and JP Open Studios website.
During the event, we’ll hold a silent auction to support Bikes Not Bombs’ local and international programs and all artists will be asked to donate one or more pieces for the auction.
If you are interested in showcasing your bicycle-themed artwork, please fill out our brief [artwork submission form https://bikesnotbombs.org/
Visit JP Open Studio’s website for more information on this exciting event!
Bikes Not Bombs is launching a new outreach effort! We’re traveling to workplaces for brown-bag lunches – or “Lunch Brakes” – to talk about our work and impact. Lunch Brakes are a great way to introduce your colleagues to Bikes Not Bombs and connect them with ways to get involved. We will share stories from inspirational leaders, videos about our work, information about upcoming events, and open up the space for Q&A. If you are interested in spreading the word about BNB and hosting us at your office, please contact Erica Rotman, Director of Fundraising & Events, at[email protected].
We need help picking up donations of bikes and parts from locations around the city and suburbs. Bike shops, apartment buildings, and collectors will call and tell us they have a few bikes or a truckload they are willing to donate, and we need more volunteers who are occasionally able to respond and do the pick-up, either with a truck, a van, or a large bike trailer.
We don’t need a big or long-term commitment from you, but if you think you might be able to swing a pickup in your area once a month or every few months, let us know! With multiple volunteers involved, we can put out the word of a pickup that needs done, and you only need respond if it is convenient for you.
Contact Arik Grier, [email protected], 617-522-0222 x100.
Bikes Not Bombs is excited to announce that our Annual Report is now available online (just scroll to the bottom of the Publications page of our website). Read through it to learn about advancements in our programs, and to get updated on people from BNB’s past.
Thank you to everyone who contributed, especially our volunteer graphic designer, Natalie Zammito.
In the summer of 2011, Kenny Simms came to Bikes Not Bombs as an employee of the STRIVE Earn-A-Bike program. Since that time he completed Vocational Education, and took over as Alumni Services Coordinator. Among Kenny’s many innovations is Youth Bike-In, a weekly drop-in program for youth who aren’t enrolled in a BNB program but still want to refresh their mechanics skills and see the Hub as a safe space. Kenny is moving on to participate in City Year, where we know he will be amazingly successful. We congratulate him on his accomplishments so far and can’t wait to see what he takes on next.
Another change to Youth Programs staff is the promotion of Abdul Hussein to the position of Chain Reaction Coordinator. A veteran youth employee and founding member of Chain Reaction, Abdul’s leadership role allows him to plan the schedule for BNB’s youth-run mobile bike shop. We know that Chain Reaction is in good hands with Abdul and congratulate him on this new role.
Hemenway Contraflow Lane Meeting
Public Meeting regarding Hemenway Contraflow Lane – The City of Boston is hosting a public meeting to get input from the public for bike lanes on Hemenway Street. The proposal includes adding a combination of bike lanes, shared lane markings and contraflow bike lanes on Hemenway to permit two way traffic for cyclists on streets that only allow one direction for vehicles. The meeting will be Wednesday August 14th, from 6PM – 7PM, at the Boston Conservancy, 31 Hemenway Street, T401.
Sign Up for the Ride for Food
The Food Pantry at the First Church in Monument Square is participating in this year’s Ride for Food on September 15th in Dedham. They work hard throughout the year providing food for family tables throughout our community, and are looking for people to ride or help them the day of the event. Please contact Greg at [email protected] to learn more and to help out in any way you can.
Job Opportunity at EcoLogic Development Fund
EcoLogic Development Fund’s mission is to empower rural and indigenous peoples to restore and protect tropical ecosystems in Central America and Mexico. EcoLogic partners directly with local organizations including indigenous councils, fisherfolk associations, volunteer water stewardship committees, and community development organizations. The Director of Development and Communications is a senior staff position ensuring the achievement of fundraising and communications goals. The individual in this role is responsible for the strategic direction and overall management of fundraising and communications initiatives and activities. This individual will represent the organization at philanthropic-related events and meetings, is responsible for liaising with the Development Committee of the board of directors, and is responsible for raising gifts from existing and new major donors. As a member of EcoLogic’s Leadership Team, the Director of Development and Communications will also help shape the direction and culture of the organization, while contributing to the overall success in implementing the organization’s Strategic Plan.
Add to Reddit. Tags: bikes not bombs, update
Posted in advocacy | Comments Off on Bikes Not Bombs Update
Sorry, comments for this entry are closed at this time.