What are your favorite memories of riding a bike? Is it the independence of getting around on your own two wheels? Is it the burn in your legs at the top of the hill? Maybe it’s the easy camaraderie of taking the scenic route on a Sunday roll with friends. And when you’re ready to move on to something shinier, there’s still lots of life in that bike. Why not let someone else make some new memories with it? Here’s how you can keep your pre-loved bike rolling through BikeWalkKC’s Earn-a-Bike program:
1. Clean out your garage
Thurman Hoskins enjoyed riding on country roads with his family, but lately other activities have been taking up his time. The four bicycles in his shed were gathering dust, but he couldn’t bear to send them to a scrap yard. Mr. Hoskins reached out to make an appointment to hand off the bikes, and our education staff helped him decide whether to drop off the bikes or allow us to pick them up. Email us at education@bikewalkkc.org or call us at 816-205-7056.
2. Organize a bike drive
Erica Stone had a couple of bikes to donate, and she knew she couldn’t be the only one in her building doing some spring cleaning. She worked with her neighbors and their complex’s property manager to coordinate a group donation and sent six bikes to new homes.
3. Volunteer for a bike night
The KU Alumni Association was looking for a unique way to give back, and we needed some help wrenching on donated bicycles. KU alumni and community members learned the tools and techniques for repairing the bikes that can be fixed and scavenging parts from the bikes that were beyond hope. Together, we recycled 9 bicycle frames and saved a great big pile of parts to use on repairable bikes.
Learn more about volunteering with BikeWalkKC.
4. Support our Earn-a-Bike programs
The East High School Bike Club is one of our longest running Earn-a-Bike programs. Students learn basic bicycle maintenance and their rights and responsibilities as bicyclists on the road before getting real-life riding practice. Bike Club instructors take participants on increasingly difficult rides to prepare the students to ride for recreation and transportation. At the end of the semester, the students have earned a bike, lock, light set. You can support East High School Bike Club and our dozens of other programs, including our new Family Earn-a-Bike program, when you give to BikeWalkKC. With your help, Earn-a-Bike participants take home not just a bike, but the independence, autonomy, and confidence that comes with it.
At its simplest, a bicycle is a steel or aluminum frame with lots of replaceable parts. A bike that you’ve loved for years is ready for new adventures, not the landfill. Help us spread the bicycle joy and release your bike to its destiny– making memories with a new rider!