Recycle your cycle to help kids learn new skills, earn a bike
Wanted: used bicycles, any style, any size, any condition.
Oh, yeah. I love this literal ReCycling.
Here's the deal: A bike donation program has been organized by
http://www.oasiscenter.org/<http://shop2.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/%3ca%20href=>">
Oasis Center, http://www.teamgreenonline.com/<http://shop2.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/%3ca%20href=>">
Team Green and the ReCYCLE your Cycle initiative, with the new Halcyon Bike
Shop leading the charge.
The idea is for Halcyon to conduct a series of bike repair workshops, where
young people can learn how to work on bikes and actually earn a bike for
themselves, according to Halcyon co-owner Elise Tyler.
"The (donated) bicycles are recycled, repaired and transformed into valuable
vehicles for youth who are homeless or living in low-income areas,'' said
Elise, who said the free workshops should crank up in late May at the new
Oasis Center on Charlotte.
She says initially a group of about 20 young people (ages 11-21) from the
Oasis neighborhood will serve as a test of the program — attending bike
workshops three days a week through the summer, learning just about every
aspect of repairing and maintaining bicycles as well as learning about bike
safety, bike lanes, greenways and other aspects of the wonderful world of
biking.
"After that we want to expand it into other neighborhoods. It's a very
practical program," Elise said. "The kids (who will be the first workshop
students) are so excited about it. It's really cool to see the energy. A lot
of them are too young to drive, and even if they could drive they can't
afford a car. This works on several practical levels — providing
transportation and building skills and confidence.''
So if you have unwanted, unused bikes, just drop them off at Centennial
Park's Earth Day festivities, Saturday at the Halcyon Bike Booth (there
should be lots of signs.) They'll also take bike parts and accessories such
as helmets, locks, air pumps, "just about anything bicycle related,'' says,
Elise who noted that your donations are tax-deductible and promised that
"the process will be quick and easy.''
"The bikes do not have to be in riding condition. Part of the program is
that kids work on their bikes and fix them up, so it's fine if the bikes are
not in riding condition,'' Elise said.
Halcyon, whose main business is to repair and sell used bikes, opened just
before Christmas over on 12 South. Elise said she and her partner, Andrew
Parker, "had wanted to do this (youth workshop) from the start — but it was
just too much to do when we first opened the retail shop, so we put it off a
few months. Then just as we were thinking about it again, Oasis contacted us
about us doing a bike workshop. And we said, 'well, yeah, that's exactly
what we'd like to do.' ''
Isn't it great when things just work out like that? I just love it.
Oh, and if you can't get your unwanted bikes to Centennial Park on Saturday,
just take them to the Halcyon Bike Shop, at 1118 Halcyon Ave., whenever you
can and tell them you want to donate them to the youth workshop.
Additional Facts
IF YOU GO
entertainment, exhibits and activities for all ages.
*When:* 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday
*Where: *Centennial Park
*Admission: *Free
*Contact:* www.nashvilleearthday.org or www.tennesseegreen.com
