Thank you for Patching it Forward! By Patching it Forward, you are helping to cover the cost of 15 neighbors receive the tools & knowledge they need to be an empowered bike rider. Here is just one story of how your support makes a difference.

A story about Patching it Forward

[Image Description: A bunch of bicycles are leaning against a picnic table. The shadow of the person taking the picture is cast across the grass.]

them.  This may seem like a simple idea but at the heart of it, giving youth access to a bike and a supportive community starts breaking down barriers and opening people up to freedoms and opportunities they didn’t know were possible for them.

Street Burners, the name given to those who have completed a Bike Works mechanics class, go on organized outings to ride bikes, explore the city, and build community together. While on a taco ride, where we ride from taco truck to taco truck and eat food while exploring the city, one rider got a flat tire. It was

[Image Description: A person on a bicycle rides in with a bicycle tire draped across them. They are smiling, riding on a bike path with grass a residential neighborhood in the background)

We stopped at our first taco truck and instead of just one person assisting with the flat; the whole group pitched in to

help. One person got out a patch kit but the glue was dry, so another got out their patch kit, someone took off the tire and tube, another grabbed a rag and inspected the tire for any foreign objects while others took food orders as to not let the flat hinder our adventure.  After all was said and done we carried on our taco eating and riding adventure.

A simple incident but a beautiful reminder that we are all on a

[Image Description: Three youth have their heads bent over the rear tire of a bicycle. The bicycle is largely obscured by one rider leaning over and reaching down.]

means pitching in to help our fellow members of the community.  And I am grateful for all those people patching it forward and making experiences and growth possible.”

For as little as $3.84 you can Patch it Forward to your neighbors in need.

Bike Works has over 92 community partners. Each partnership is unique and allows us to do what we do best – use the bicycle as a vehicle for positive change. This heart warming email to the Van Asselt Elementary School staff highlights what we love about these partnerships.

Hi all,

I’ve been partnering with Bike Works, a local bike shop in Columbia City, for the last 5 years to get Van Asselt students free bicycles.  Wednesday afternoon was our most recent clinic.  During the clinics, Bike Works staff come to Van Asselt and lead bike skills & safety drills where kids practice riding through an obstacle course, learn road safety and hand signals.  They also learn how to do a pre-ride “ABC safety check” (air in the tires, brakes working, chain tight) to make sure their bikes are safe and functioning correctly.  At the end of the clinic, they get to keep a free BMX bike, helmet and bike lock.

This time around we had 6 kids participate, three 5^th graders and three 4^th graders.

[Image Description: Two youth stand side by side in helmets in the school gym, the shiny wood floor and compressed bleachers visible behind. Both looking at the camera, excited and also a little timid. The student on the right is wearing a gray long sleeved tee with a black and red-pinstriped sports jersey over the top and a matte black helmet. The student on the left is wearing a navy long sleeved shirt with a navy & white horizontal striped shirt layered on top and a shiny black helmet.]	[Image Description: A student sits atop a black BMX bike with their feet and kickstand both on the ground. Wearing jeans, a navy hoodie with a neon green design, and a shiny black helmet, his cheeks are puffed in concentration. He stares at the bicycle tire just visible in front of him. Another youth on a red bike is visible in the background , with one leg on the pedal and the other on the floor he is preparing to take off.]	[Image Description: A youth rides toward the camera on a blue BMX bike, looking past a cone on the ground that sits to his left. He is smiling, wearing jeans, and a olive and rust colored camo sweatshirt. He is riding in a gym, the shiny wood floor reflecting light. There are other kids on bikes off in the far corner of the picture with some adults talking them through their ride.]

Actually, this was part of the obstacle course – kids had to take one hand off the bars and look back over their shoulder to identify which sign the adult was holding (car, bus, cow). Now I know why the call him “Mr Moo”!

[Image Description: An adult looks at the camera, mouth upturned in a smile, holding a sign with the silhouette of a cow on it. The sign is large, covering most of his chest. He has light brown hair and is wearing a bright green and blue scarf]

Bike Works is a local bike shop in Columbia City (on S Ferdinand St, right around the corner from the Columbia City Bakery).  It’s a pretty unique organization in that they have a huge focus on education and empowerment of youth.  They offer many youth (and adult) classes and lead many bicycling events/rides.  They also have a very successful recycle & reuse program.

[Image Description: A blue BMX bike, kickstand down, is in front of a chain link fence. The handlebars are turned in and the bike is locked to a post in the fence.]

William rode his new bike to school the next morning!  That’s what this program is all about.

All for now,

[Van Asselt Educator]

It takes valuable staff time and resources to prepare these bikes for their new homes, to deliver them to the school, and to host educational (and fun!) bicycle rodeos so that the students feel confident riding their bicycle. Please consider hosting a bike drive benefiting Bike Works. Email recycling@bikeworks.org to get started!

Today, as with most days, we are reflecting on the importance of youth leadership and community. The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) at Bike Works recently voted in 4 new members, including Anna who drew this powerful image as part of her application.

The YAC is a group of dedicated youth who participate more fully in the vision and governance of the organization.