22JAN11 Workday Summary - 18 bikes ready to go.

With 110 bikes in inventory and limited space, we needed things to move fast this week. Mercedes Parrish from Westside Homeless Partnership picked up 15 bikes for their clients. Clark Martinson made room by picking up 12 bikes, and Saturday we prepped 18 bikes ready for some of our new partners. Mercedes found new homes for some of our bikes with Iglesia Fuente de Esperanza, who have a few families that they support in the Spring Branch area. John Malget connected us with West Houston Assistance Ministries, who also has an employment services program that we are going to investigate. While visiting the Brookwood Community (always a favorite for plants and flowers), John also found that they have a need for adult bikes for their clients.

Kevin Chang, our first volunteer from Facebook, came out to work on Saturday. We also had Jay Barr, and our workhorses - Jeff Stones and Taylor Benson. Youth included Carson Barr, Carson Lyda, Grant Lyda, Dawson Finklea, and Jess Thomas. There are some boys that are going to be thrilled with very nice Haro, Specialized, and GT freestyle BMX bikes. A beautiful Gary Fisher will provide reliable transportation for a tall adult man for years to come. Now to get them out in service!

We have our first organizational meeting on 27JAN11 at 7:30pm at Memorial Drive Christian Church (11750 Memorial Drive, 77024, 713.789.0060). Come out and hear about our goals for 2011 and the find your place to give.

Pay it Forward,

David

Donald Miner - a success story from MAM and Houston Cycling Centers

We received this great note from Bob King at MAM about one of the bikes that was donated on the 22JAN11 Rummel Creek Elementary PTA ReCycle Day.

Friends,

We delivered a nicely refurbished Trek bicycle today to Mr. Donald Miner, a client of MAM’s Employment Services program. Here is a letter of thanks he sent us, FYI. It tells his story better than we could.

Dear Yolanda and Bob,

This is my letter of appreciation for the bicycle given to me by the Cycle2Success collaboration. Please make sure your partners at both Houston Cycling Centres and Chain Reaction Ministries also know how thankful I am.

I work as a Security Officer for Houston Museum of Natural Science and also for Five Star Event Services. I do not own a car. Numerous times I walk from Houston Museum during early morning hours, from 12 midnight to 6am, when there isn’t bus transportation; and for me, a cab is totally unaffordable. The new bike will help make my transportation issues much simpler, not to mention the good health benefits of some more physical activity.

Thank you also to Spring Valley Cyclery for the additional safety and protection equipment of a helmet and lock.

Best of Blessings,
Donald Miner

110 New Bikes!

11o Bikes

That is not a typo. That is the power of the Rummel Creek Elementary PTA network. I watched with amazement as the flurry of emails were passed around. It was like the 1970’s Faberge Shampoo commercial where, “and they will tell two friends….” We picked up 7 bikes before the event, and then they just kept coming on Saturday, 15JAN11. The partnership with the Rummel Creek PTA is a good lesson in networking, timing, and relationship building. These lessons will be shared in our organizational meeting later this month, and detailed later in the summary.

We got two bikes from a reader of the Houston Examiner article referenced last month!

Now to the important point—inventory management. Jeff Stones, Taylor Benson, and I are assessing the current inventory and making plans for our Saturday, 22JAN11 workday from 2-4pm. We will have the parts we need for many of the bikes, but we need volunteers to help in the following ways:

1) Mechanics—We will process the easy bikes to fix first. You don’t have to be a pro mechanic. If you can turn a wrench, we can have you changing tires/tubes, seats, and handbar grips in no time. This is a great family activity, as testified by Sarah Tyler and her kids. It is a great opportunity for youth to learn basic bicycle maintenance.

2) Washing / Lubing—A great kids activity, and those that don't like grease.

3) Transportation - Delivery to our partners needs to happen before Saturday, 22JAN11.

4) New Partner Charities—If you want to help interview potential partner charities, please call John Malget, Associate Minister at 713.789.0060 or
revjmalget@earthlink.net.

We will have our first organizational meeting on 27JAN11 at 7:30pm at the church. We will be discussing our 2011 goals and various focused efforts that will help us reach more needs in the community. Come join us!

Pay it Forward

David
James 2:18