Girl Scouts announce bike collection drive

Canton Girls Scouts are joining with Roll It Forward to collect used bikes to be renovated and put to good use for people in need.

An initiative of Mayor Menino’s “Boston Bikes” program, Roll it Forward collects, repairs, and donates bikes to Boston residents who might not otherwise have access to a bike.

Though a bike may be thought of as a toy, it can also be a machine of empowerment that can change someone’s outlook on life. All bike recipients come through a non-profit or government partner, selected as someone who could really benefit from a bike. Some are low-income health center patients rewarded for program completion; others are public housing children learning to ride for the first time, and others are previously homeless and raising themselves out of poverty.

All bike recipients experience the sheer joy of riding a bicycle, as well as enjoy the health, environmental, and economic benefits while being able to use their bike for transportation. This program not only benefits the bike recipients, but keeps bikes out of landfills, reduces pollution, and gives a bike a second life. To date, nearly 1,700 bikes have been donated to those in need. It is a perfect time to clean those bikes out of the garage to make room for the car before the snow — or to make room for those new bikes that are sure to show up at holiday time.

The collection will take place on Sunday, November 24, from 12 to 3 p.m. in the parking lot of the Canton Public Library. Any bike being donated should be free of rust and need only minor repairs or a tune-up. Not going to be around? Maybe a neighbor would be willing to bring your bike and theirs! Note: Bike donations to the Roll It Forward program are not tax-deductible.

For more information, contact CantonGS@verizon.net. Please donate and watch our pile of bikes grow!

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Posted by Canton Citizen on Nov 7 2013. Filed under Uncategorized. Both comments and pings are currently closed.