Dear friends,
So, this is new for me – I am starting my training and my fundraising early! As I get older (I am turning 75 a month before the ride) I am upping my fundraising goal and my Bikeathon milage, so I am asking for your support as I ride in the September 8th Bikes Not Bombs Fundraising Bike-A-Thon. I did manage to finish the 35-mile ride last year so this year I am aiming to do the 50-mile ride – slowly.
Why should you do this? Bikes Not Bombs uses the bicycle as a vehicle for social change to achieve economic mobility for Black and other marginalized people in Boston and the Global South. Do you believe in racial and economic justice? Do you believe in sustainable transportation? How about youth leadership development and job training? How about environmental education? What about supporting sustainable development projects in underdeveloped countries? What about restraining militarism and military spending? If you have answered yes to any of these questions then I ask you to join me in supporting Bikes Not Bombs, the one organization that works on all these issues!
BNB has given 40 years of service to local and international development! I am proud to say that I have been a friend and supporter of their efforts for over 35 of those years. BNB is now collecting roughly 5,000 used bicycles a year and tons of used parts from our supporters around Greater Boston and New England. Since its inception BNB has shipped more than 85,000 bikes overseas to economic development projects through the International Programs in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Bikes that don't get shipped often land in the Youth Programs where teens learn bicycle safety and mechanics skills in the process of earning bikes to keep for themselves. The free standing 6 day a week full time retail Bike Shop also reconditions and sells some of the donated bikes that BNB receives, employing many graduates of the Youth Programs. The Shop's profit from the bicycle sales, parts sales, and repairs goes towards funding BNB’s youth and international work.
The Earn-A-Bike class is a great example of one of the creative BNB programs in Boston. Every teenage student in Earn-A-Bike fully reconditions a bicycle and learns how to ride safely in the city over a 6 week period. Upon completion, the student keeps the bike she or he has built and receives a helmet! Over 20 volunteer adult instructors are trained to teach this program annually. BNB’s work constantly brings many people together from various walks of life, providing quality after-school experiences for inner city youth.
If you would like to learn more about the amazing programs that BNB runs, find the location of the shop or the office, or see the great new BNB videos. Please check out the web site at: https://bikesnotbombs.org/
Please help me to continue the great work that BNB is doing. I would really appreciate it if you could make a generous pledge to Bikes Not Bombs by sponsoring me in the 37th Annual Bike-A-Thon. Sincerely, Richard
