Bikes Not Bombs Update

From BNB:

Help Send Bikes to Amuru, Northern Uganda

Village Health Workers riding BNB bikes to visit their patients.

Bikes Not Bombs is partnering with 550 volunteer Village Health Workers in Amuru, Northern Uganda to establish a bicycle transportation system for rural health care delivery to 40,000 people in post-conflict Amuru. BNB has already supplied 360 Village Health Workers with bikes, and this shipment will supply the remaining 190 Village Health Workers, while providing the initial set of bikes to expand the project into the neighboring area of Pabbo, to work with another group of 500 Village Health Workers serving another 50,000 people. In addition to the bicycles, BNB has supported this project to establish an extensive network of bicycle repair workshops with tools and spare parts, and has trained over 25 bicycle mechanics. These bicycles have already helped the Amuru Village Health Team increase their level of health activity to provide improved primary care support to rural households while also becoming a more organized and effective Village Health Worker Association.

Please join us to help BNB load bikes to these Village Health Workers in Northern Uganda!
TIME: Sunday November 10th from 10am to 5pm. Drop in for an hour or stay all day.
PLACE: The BNB warehouse at 10 Harvard Street in Dorchester
DETAILS: Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Equal Exchange coffee will be generously donated by City Feed & Supply.

Please let us know if you will be attending this container loading! RSVP here!

Also, to see more information about this Village Health Worker project, check out this new film created by BNB’s Director of International Programs, David Branigan.

Apply to become a bike mechanic through BNB’s Vocational Education program.

Bikes Not Bombs’ Vocational Education Program (Voc Ed) is an 80-hour course for adults and youth (age 15 and older) offered at our Bike Shop in Jamaica Plain. Voc Ed provides a unique job training opportunity for those who are motivated to learn bicycle repair and mechanics. In the past, this training was taught in a classroom format. However, to improve the quality of the training and offer participants the opportunity to gain real experience in a full-service bike shop, we’ve shifted the structure of Voc Ed so that participants will now work one-on-one with skilled mechanics. The new model will allow participants to receive detailed explanations coupled with hands-on learning. Each participant will be expected to attend three, three-hour classes per week for the duration of the program which is December 9, 2013 – March 8, 2014. The actual hours of the class are flexible to accommodate the participant’s schedule, but must be scheduled during regular Bikes Not Bombs Bike Shop business hours (at least Monday-Friday, 11am – 7 pm).

Because of the intensive nature of this training program, we can only accommodate two participants who are not already participants in BNB programs. Priority will be given to applicants who are serious about becoming professional bike mechanics and who do not have access to other training programs. Women and people of color are encouraged to apply, as are alumni of Bikes Not Bombs youth programs. While the Bikes Not Bombs Bike Shop largely hires graduates of Voc Ed, graduation from the class does not guarantee a position. However, graduates have gone on to work in Boston and Cambridge-based bike shops such as Broadway Bicycle School, Ferris Wheels, Community Bike Shop, Cambridge Bikes, Hubway and other bike-related businesses.

The 3-month training program costs $250. However, scholarships are available and the fee should not be a barrier to applying. Applications, along with resume and cover letter, are due November 18th and participants will be notified by November 28th at the latest. Contact [email protected] with any questions or download and complete the application

Do you love talking about Bikes Not Bombs and want to help raise money to support BNB’s work in Boston and overseas? Then we want YOU to volunteer for our annual Phone-A-Thon!

We need about 30 amazing volunteers to call BNB supporters to inform them of the great things going on at BNB and ask them to make a year-end donation. Our goal is to raise $35,000 before December 31st and we need your help to get there! Every caller makes a difference – the more people we reach at this critical point in fundraising, the stronger and more financially stable we’ll be entering 2014.

We have 10 calling sessions scheduled between November 26th and December 19th. Volunteers can sign up for one or more sessions. We will make sure you are trained and feel confident talking about BNB programs before getting on the phone. All sessions will be held at the Brewery Complex in Jamaica Plain. Snacks will be provided and you’ll earn volunteer credits for your time. Here’s a little secret: the Phone-A-Thon is actually a Fun-A-Thon!

Dates for the call sessions are:
Tuesday 11/26 6-9pm
Tuesday 12/3 6-9pm
Thursday 12/5 6-9pm
Saturday 12/7 12-3pm
Monday 12/9 6-9pm
Tuesday 12/10 6-9pm
Thursday 12/12 6-9pm
Saturday 12/14 12-3pm
Tuesday 12/17 6-9pm
Thursday 12/19 6-9pm

Fill out a brief online form to sign up to volunteer! If you have any questions, please contact Erica Rotman at[email protected] or 617-522-0222 x106.

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013 at 8am
At: Space with a Soul
281 Summer Street, 7th floor
Boston, MA 02210

Save the date! Bikes Not Bombs’ third annualBuilding 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 Café, 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! If you would like more information about how to attend the Building Momentum Breakfast, contact Erica Rotman, Director of Fundraising & Events, at [email protected].

First time riders, long-term supporters, volunteers, and curious community members alike are welcomed to take part in the fun rides, fanfare, celebration and community-building of Bikes Not Bombs’ biggest event and fundraiser of the year, the Bike-A-Thon! In 2014 we look to have our greatest rides yet, so don’t miss out. PutSunday, June 8th in your calendar today! Also, don’t forget to holdJune 22nd as a rain date just in case. We’ll be coming out with more details as we get closer to the event, but you can be sure that we’ll have:
Fully-supported rides for all skill levels!
Delicious food and a post-ride celebration for riders!
Brand new BNB t-shirts for all participants!
Great prizes for top fundraisers!

In the meantime, check out photos and the amazing results from the 2013 Bike-A-Thon!

We’re looking for donations of any Apple computers from 2008 or later. Must be working. Laptops and desktops! Please contact Sean Madsen at [email protected] to arrange the donation.

Check out a large selection of refurbished bikes, starting at $340.

This October our Flat Fixing Clinic will be Tuesday October 15th from 8-9pm and our Basic Repair and Maintenance Clinic will be on Thursday the 24th from 8-9pm. More details online. As always, no need to sign up just be punctual and show up by 8pm!

With summer over and the days getting shorter the bike shop is starting to assemble refurbished bikes for resale which means that we finally have some of our more basic $340 City Bikes in stock (call ahead they often sell as soon as they’re on the floor). Currently we’re only scheduled 1 day out for repairs and have a wider range of sizes of refurbished bikes than we have had in recent months.

Finally, we’re excited to share that shop employee Derek McIntire is preparing to travel to Ghana in early November to lead mechanics trainings at Ability Bikes. It’s part of the Bike Shop’s mission to support our youth and international programs, and we look forward to sharing a report from Derek about his experiences in Ghana once he’s back.

Please join all of us at Bikes Not Bombs in welcoming our newest staff member, Charlotte Fagan, International Programs Coordinator. Charlotte comes to BNB with a great deal of international bicycle organizing experience. She helped found Carishina en Bici, a feminist bike collective in Ecuador and has volunteered with BNB projects in Sierra Leone and Guatemala. Charlotte will work closely with the Director of International Programs, David Branigan, and will be primarily responsible for coordinating technical assistance and support to Bikes Not Bombs’ international partners. We’re thrilled to have her on board and can’t wait to see the amazing progress our International Programs make with her on the BNB team.

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-October. Bikes Not Bombs is preparing to send a second shipment of bikes and parts to our newly developed partner project that so far has outfitted 360 community health workers with bikes. As Northern Uganda recovers from 20 years of civil war, this work is helping to create more healthy communities.

Items we can especially use:

• Front Derailleurs – anything made for a mountain bike, or otherwise to fit a triple chain ring, road and hybrid derailleurs may work also.
• Rear Derailleurs – anything made for a mountain bike, or otherwise a long cage derailleur
• Shifters – rapid-fire, grip shift, or thumb shifters
• Chains – any type, though 7-8 speed chains are especially valuable
• Brakes – cantilever brakes, V-brakes
• Tubes and Tires – 26″ (for mountain bikes) and any smaller sizes

Donations are tax deductible. Donors will be asked to assign the fair market value of your donation and please include the name and address where we should send the receipt. Contact Arik Grier,[email protected], 617-522-0222 x100.

BNB youth and staff greet Steve Murphy after his cross-country bike ride in support of BNB.

A hearty congratulations and thank you to Steve Murphy, a BNB Adult Instructor and steadfast volunteer who recently completed a cross-county bike ride in support of BNB. Steve rode from Seattle to Boston, and raised over $10,000 along the way. You can read about his journey, or donate in honor of his accomplishment.
If you are interested in planning a personal fundraising ride to support Bikes Not Bombs, please contact Erica Rotman at [email protected].

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Avoid The Tracks!

Why you should be very careful of train tracks in the road, South Huntington I am looking at you!

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Bikes Not Bombs Update

From BNB:

———————–

News from Bici-Tec, BNB’s partner in Guatemala

Carlos Marroquin, the founder of Bici-Tec, our newest international partner.

For almost a year, Bikes Not Bombs has been working with bicycle machine inventor Carlos Marroquin to launch a new enterprise in Guatemala, called Bici-Tec. After months of planning, and an initial shipment of bikes, parts, and tools, we are excited about the progress made, and what the future holds. Bikes Not Bombs’ most recent Letter from the Director, provides an update about this project. You can read more about the project, andfollow Bikes Not Bombs on Facebook, for the latest news.

Youth become bike mechanics in Earn-A-Bike, which starts again on October 21st.

Applications are now available for Fall Earn-A-Bike.

Earn-A-Bike is a learning and earning program open to youth ages 12-18. Over the course of the six-week program, participants will completely overhaul a bicycle while learning how to safely ride and navigate the city of Boston. During mechanics lessons, participants will be taught how to repair a part of the bicycle; then they’ll roll up their sleeves and do it themselves, earning enough credits to take home the bike after graduation. Earn-A-Bike will run from October 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
at: Space with a Soul
281 Summer Street, 7th floor
Boston, MA 02210

Save the date! Bikes Not Bombs’ third annualBuilding 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 generously donated by 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 – 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 September 26th 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].

Ability Bikes Cooperative is a worker-owned bike shop run by physically challenged people in Ghana. All of the members of Ability Bikes Cooperative are physically challenged and “mobility challenged,” yet on a daily basis they run a business that provides increased mobility to able-bodied people. Through these daily interactions with customers, Ability Bikes members actively transform social perceptions of physically challenged people in society, while importing and distributing over 2,000 bikes per year.

TIME: Sunday October 6th from 10am to 5pm. Drop in for an hour or stay all day.
PLACE: The BNB warehouse at 10 Harvard Street in Dorchester
DETAILS: Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Equal Exchange coffee will be generously donated by City Feed & Supply.

RSVP to this event!

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 in order to prepare our second shipment of bikes and parts. The Village Health Team in Amuru has already been equipped with 360 bikes, and as Northern Uganda recovers from 20 years of civil war, this work is helping to create more healthy communities.

Items we can especially use

• Front Derailleurs – anything made for a mountain bike, or otherwise to fit a triple chain ring, road and hybrid derailleurs may work also.
• Rear Derailleurs – anything made for a mountain bike, or otherwise a long cage derailleur
• Shifters – rapid-fire, grip shift, or thumb shifters
• Chains – any type, though 7-8 speed chains are especially valuable
• Brakes – cantilever brakes, V-brakes
• Tubes and Tires – 26” (for mountain bikes) and any smaller sizes

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.

Free on a weekday during the day? Come to BNB for a relaxing morning or afternoon of helpful office volunteering! This work is mostly data entry and some envelope stuffing. It’s easy, somewhat boring, but super important! Your help with these simple tasks will support our Youth Programs and International Programs, and you’ll get a glimpse into the inner-workings of our efficient administrative systems! We’re especially looking for volunteers who can commit to a weekly pattern, but one-off times are also helpful. And we can work around your schedule, any weekday between 10 am and 5 pm. Contact Sean Madsen at [email protected] to set up a time.

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].

Thanks to the incredible dedication of BNB staff, board, and volunteers, we have completed our five-year strategic plan. If you’re curious about our goals and vision for the next five years, we invite you to check it out online. We’d love to hear your thoughts and answer any questions you might have about it.

News outside of BNB:

BAGLY hiring

The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ Youth (BAGLY) is hiring a full-time Development & Marketing Manager – Review the job description, and share with anyone who might be a fit for this awesome organization.

The BEST Initiative is currently enrolling for Fall and Winter Trainings

Youth Worker Certification, Supervisor Training, and BE SAFE Training sessions are now enrolling.More info online.

Jamaica Plain’s Eliot School raising money for woodshop classes

The Eliot School has partnered with a master woodworker to bring one-day workshops to Boston Public School rooms in October. Check it out online.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Register Today For Upcoming Bikeable Communities Training In Somerville

Do you ride in Somerville and want to make our roads safer for biking, but don’t know where to start? Or are you already involved in local projects, but want to become more effective? Sign up today for the two-part Bikeable Communities Training, sponsored by Shape Up Somerville and Mass in Motion.   This is a great opportunity for the concerned, engaged citizen who wants to create changes to better bicycling infrastructure and safety in Somerville. (Don’t worry, you don’t have to participate in Part I to participate in Part II.) Part I: Plugging Into The Process Saturday, October 26th from 2:00 – 4:30 PM Somerville Police Dept. 220 Washington Street, Somerville, MA 02143 This training will focus on the decision making process in how streets are built and maintained, and explains how to most effectively engage in that process as a local resident. Participants will walk away with a list of “do’s” and “don’ts” when getting involved in local projects.   Part II: Policies, Programs, and Project Solutions Wednesday, October 30th from 6:30 – 8:30 PM Brooklyn Boulders Somerville 12A Tyler Street, Somerville, MA 02143 The Part II training will focus on specific policies, programs and infrastructure projects that support safer, more comfortable bicycling. You are not required to attend the “Part I” training to participate. Participants will walk away with a checklist of infrastructure, programs and policies that support safer bicycling.   RSVP for Part I and Part II at [email protected]. For more information or if you have any questions, feel free to contact the same email address.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

City Releases Urban Cycling Guide

This thing has it all, a quiz, video’s, and a chance to get free/low cost gear!  You will also notice that the city “borrowed” some of the images for my website for the quiz (see here and here).  I ain’t even mad!

I passed the quiz with a perfect score.  It wasn’t hard, and pretty obvious what the right answer was.  It is rather “finger wagging” at cyclists.  But then again its a quiz for cyclists.  I it trying to address the behavior of a specific user class.  It’s not helpful to tell car drivers what to do on a cyclist behavior quiz.

It would be AMAZING if the city did a “urban drivers guide” and an “urban walkers guide” in the same style.  PLEASE CAN WE GET THIS CITY OF BOSTON, PLEASE!

—————–

Check it out here.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet