Urban Bicycle Festival Saturday!
Thanks for the support from everybody who has contributed their time and energy to helping make 2010 an exciting year at Sibley Bike Depot. With the Summer in full swing, we can see that more people than ever are using our free Open Shop, attending our bike repair classes, purchasing affordable bikes from our sales floor, and checking out a bike from our new Community Partners Bike Library.
***Volunteer at the Urban Bicycle Festival this Saturday!
The Urban Bicycle Festival, this Saturday, is an event put on by Major Taylor Bike Club as part of the Rondo Days celebration. The event "celebrates the diversity of cycling in our community and offers an opportunity for engagement, sharing, and education." Read more at http://urbanbikefestival.org/index.html Sibley Bike Depot is excited to be a part of this event - volunteer to help staff our table anytime between 7:30am and 4:30pm! Email Jason@Sibleybikedepot.org to sign up for a shift.
***Women's and Transgender Bike Maintenance Class Starts August 10
Sibley Bike Depot's Women's and Trans night is offering a Basic Bike Maintenance program on Tuesdays from 5:30-7pm starting August 10. This class will be similar to other beginning bike repair classes at Sibley, but is just for self-identified women and transgendered folks. In addition to the basics of bike repair, the class will cover bike types and fit, and discuss commuting and bicycles as transportation. Come learn how to fix your bike from a female mechanic in a fun and inclusive space! Four Tuesday in August - the 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st, from 5:30-7pm. Register through the Twin Cities Experimenal College at www.excotc.org.
***Bike Library in Full Swing
With bike program orientations Monday and Wednesday of this week, Sibley has now lent out over 85 bicycles to low-income community members! One Bike Library partipant glowed with excitement after getting his bike, saying "It is really exciting for me to ride a bicycle in America. It is a thrill. Thank you so much."
Sibley's partners now include Northwest Youth and Family Services, Hope Community, Project for Pride in Living, Youth Farm and Market Project, Goodwill Easter Seals, and the Waite House. Volunteer with Sibley to help provide continued programming as a part of the Bike Library - including group rides, mechanics workshops and more!
***Congrats to Long-time Volunteer Cynthia MacArthur
Cynthia MacArthur received recognition with the Virginia McKnight Binger Award in Human Service for her outstanding work promoting bicycling through the Center for Victims of Torture. Cynthia has worked tirelessly with CVT to provide bikes to their clients, who are in Minnesota fleeing political persecution and torture. Cynthia has built a strong partnersip with Sibley Bike Depot that supports both organizations accomplishing their goals more effectively. Thanks for Cynthia for her fabulous work!
***Upcoming Classes at Sibley
Register for upcoming classes at Sibley Bike Depot! Sibley is offering a Complete Overhaul Bike Repair class, Thursday evenings August 19-September 9, 6-8:30pm. This class is an excellent opportunity to build upon skills taught in the Basic Bike Maintenance class. Register through the Twin Cities Experimental College at www.excotc.org. July's Basic Bike Maintenance class is full - look for our next Basic Bike Maintenance class to be open for registration on the Exco website next week!
***Community Meeting - "Envisioning the St. Paul Greenway" July 28, 7pm
Join St. Paul Smart Trips and bike advocates from around the city to envision how an extension of the Midtown Greenway into St. Paul might look! The meeting will be held at the Linwood Rec Center, 860 St. Clair Avenue, from 7-8:30pm on Wednesday, July 28. RSVP through St. Paul Smart Trips at http://www.smart-trips.org/greenway