News Release: Community Cycling Center celebrates 20th year of Holiday Bike Drive
Over 300 children to receive their first bicycles
November 25, 2015 – Portland, Ore. – On Sunday, December 6th, the Community Cycling Center will celebrate 20 years of the Holiday Bike Drive, its most impactful program that has provided over 10,000 bicycles to children from families with low incomes since 1995. This December, witness the magic of 300 children riding their first bike at the 20th annual Holiday Bike Drive, sponsored by Lam Research Foundation.
On the day of the event, over 300 children, their families, and 250 volunteers will convene at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center’s Atrium. Each child will participate in a series of bike safety lessons before choosing their first bike. Legacy Emanuel Medical Center’s Trauma Nurses Talk Tough program generously donated helmets to be given to each child at the event. Volunteer interpreters help create an inclusive and welcoming event by translating the experience into Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and other languages spoken by participants and their families.
Community members can help support the Community Cycling Center’s mission of broadening access to bicycling and its benefits by sponsoring a child’s first bike for $50. Make a gift online at www.CommunityCyclingCenter.org or at their bike shop, located at 1700 NE Alberta Street.
Now, you can also support the Community Cycling Center’s Holiday Bike Drive at Salt & Straw. Rep. Earl Blumenauer teamed up with the talented folks at Salt & Straw to create a Fruitcake ice cream, proceeds of which will benefit the Community Cycling Center. Rep. Blumenauer wants to build on the success from last year and challenged the Portland community to help him sponsor 1,000 first bikes for kids in need through the Cycling Center.
“We believe that every child deserves to experience the joy, freedom, and health benefits that bicycles can bring,” says Mychal Tetteh, CEO of the Community Cycling Center. “We invite the community to participate in Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s challenge to sponsor a child’s first bicycle.”
The Community Cycling Center invites the media to attend this festive, community-building event.
What: The 20th Annual Holiday Bike Drive
When: Sunday, December 6, 2015, 10:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Best time for media to take great pictures or video.)
Where: Legacy Emanuel Medical Center’s atrium, 501 N. Graham, Portland, OR 97227
Park in LOT 2, which is directly across from the Atrium.
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About the Community Cycling Center
The Community Cycling Center is a nonprofit organization founded in 1994 that helps people access their community by bicycle. We partner with communities on neighborhood-based projects and programs. We believe that all Portlanders—regardless of income or background—should have the opportunity to choose healthy, active transportation. Programs like the Holiday Bike Drive help families with low incomes by providing hundreds of children with their first bikes. Learn more at www.CommunityCyclingCenter.org and visit our bike shop located at 1700 NE Alberta Street. Proceeds from all bike shop sales benefit our year-round programs.