Spring at the Sibley Bike Depot
***Welcome New Sibley Staff!
Sibley Bike Depot wants to offer a warm welcome to two new staff members of the Sibley Bike Depot team. Amy Snyder will be starting work as the Program Director of the Community Partners Bike Library, Sibley's innovative, federally funded program to build community partnerships and provide bikes to low-income community members. Amy comes to Sibley with a strong non-profit background that includes working as Executive Director at the Pillsbury House and Program Director at Avenues for Homeless Youth. John Kraning comes to Sibley as a Bike Library Mechanic to help turn our mountain of unfixed bicycles into "stacks" of fixed up Bike Library bikes! John has extensive bike shop experience including owning/operating his own shop for 5 years, as well as working with Clean Water Action for 18 years.
***Help send bikes to New Oreans!
Sibley Bike Depot received a request for bikes from Rusted Up Beyond All Recognition Bikes (RUBARB) in New Orleans. RUBARB, a collectively run bike shop, was formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina's destruction, as volunteers salvaged bikes to fix up and distribute within the community. Sibley donated 50 bikes to RUBARB in 2008 and has seen many volunteers and staff travel to New Orleans and visit their shop.
You can help us get bikes to RUBARB. We have received a reduced-cost truck rental from Penske, and we are looking for both financial contributions and bike donations to make this happen! Help us get bikes to a great community bike program in New Orleans: bring your used bicycles over to the Bike Depot between now and April 5th, and donate to help make it happen!
***Spring Kick-off Open House April 12!
With Winter on its way our and the warm weather settling in, Spring is in full swing at Sibley Bike Depot! To usher in a new season of packed open shop, classes full of excited students, and the Community Partners Bike Library, we would like like invite you to a Spring Kickoff Party on Monday, April 12! Come hear information about our accomplishments last year, and our exciting plans for this coming year.
***Spring Hours Begin April 7
With the warming weather, Sibley Bike Depot is preparing to expand our shop hours starting Wednesday, April 7. Spring hours will be Monday 3-9pm (Volunteer Only Night); Wednesday 3-9pm (Open Shop); Saturday 10am-6pm (Open Shop); and Sunday 12-4pm (Open Shop).
***Classes Update
Sibley's April session of Basic Bike Maintenance classes is now filled! Sign up for our May session - May 16-June 6, Sunday afternoons 4:15-6:30pm. Classes fill up quickly, sign up now to reserve your space. Bring your own bike, or come work on one of our bikes to support our programs. Sibley also offers a Complete Overhaul (intermediate mechanics) bike repair class; the current session is full, sign up for the next Complete Overhaul class, April 15-May 6, Thursday evenings 6:30-9pm. Register for all classes through the Twin Cities Experimental College at www.excotc.org.
***Youth Classes
Sibley Bike Depot recently completed a Junior Mechanics class for high school student, with 25 energetic students learning bike mechanics skills, building a bike, and getting high school credit through St. Paul Connections! Sibley will be teaching another Junior Mechanics class starting April 6 - volunteer to help teach youth bike repair by emailing Kevin@sibleybikedepot.org!
***Wish List
Sibley Bike Depot is looking for another desk for our office area. If you have something sitting around that you're not using, email johnfinkle2002@yahoo.com.
***Volunteer With Us!
With the Spring here, Sibley needs your help! Volunteer to help staff a shift each week in the shop. Especially as we expand our hours for the Spring, we need committed volunteers to help work with youth, help community members fix their bikes, and help fix bikes for retail sales. Email Volunteer Coordinator Jason@sibleybikedepot.org.