If you’re in Northern California, I have a favor to ask. Go into your garage and take a quick inventory. No, really, right now. I’ll wait.
Okay, did you see any bicycles in there? In case you aren’t sure, they might be those metal things with two wheels covered in cobwebs, hidden from view behind your last fix-it project or underneath a blanket. Need to check again? It’s cool, I’ll wait.
Find any? Good, now you have a choice. You can either resuscitate them and enjoy riding around town and even getting in a little exercise, or you can admit they were buried for a reason and give them to someone who will be able to use them in Africa. That’s right. Africa.
Mike’s Bikes, a bicycle retailer with six locations in Northern California, is in the midst of its 2009 Africa Bike Drive. Following a drive last year that garnered 406 bikes given to a sister shop in Botswana, this year’s goal is double that number — and they’ve sweetened the deal. Not only will both Namibia and Botswana sister shops eventually have bicycles, but for every bike donated, Varsity Painting is going to give $30 to Children’s Hospital of Oakland. In addition, your donation is tax deductible.
You can bring a bike to any Mike’s Bikes location (Sacramento, San Rafael, Sausalito, San Francisco, Berkeley and Palo Alto). Or, if you don’t live in Northern California, either tell people you know in the area about the bike drive — or make a donation here. And I’ve been told there are just a few weeks left before the next bicycle shipment departs, so the sooner, the better. For people in Africa with limited transportation options, you can be sure the bikes will be greatly appreciated.
Check out the video below for more information on last year’s drive and read more about the program here.
Logo courtesy of Mike’s Bikes.