- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

capital campaign in missoula, results
by mist＠strans.org 27 Jan '19

27 Jan '19

Hi all, If any group is thinking of taking on a big capital campaign to buy their building and property, I'd be happy to talk about our experience here in Missoula over the last few years. The nutshell: our 4,000 sq ft community shop was for sale as part of a larger 2 acre property with a 28,000 sq ft building (lots of additions, annexes, offices, warehouse, etc). We went for it and succeeded in buying the whole thing, for 1.1 million dollars. It's in the heart of Missoula, on the trail system with great vistas to the mountains. We raised $200,000 in cash donations in 9 months, secured a $100,000 county loan (4% over 20 years) and had a local woman loan us the balance of 900k. We pay her $6,200/mo as the mortgage (6% over 25 years). A key component: we have secured enough renters to bring in $7,600/mo. That amount covers the local loan, the county loan, insurance and property tax (we gained tax exempt status on 85% of the property). We have like minded renters, from a mushroom grower to t-shirt shop to non profits renting the offices, a clay studio and so on. It has been a challenge, yet we feel very secure. We are growing bike programs, a venue space and we will likely take on the other spaces for more programs as we pay down the loan notes. The arrangement with the local person was a 'contract for deed', which gives us all the rights and responsibilities as property owner. Send me an email if you'd like to talk more. I do think this is a good model: buy a piece of property and rent out enough to cover the bulk of costs. -Bob Giordano, Free Cycles Missoula

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fundraising inquiry
by Judith Feist 25 Jan '19

25 Jan '19

Good Morning (almost afternoon), all! I have a question for any folks out there whose collective/workshop does large fundraisers/events where participants are asked to register either themselves or teams. We have been using crowdrise and had a number of complications with it this year. Are there any fundraising websites or apps out there that you would suggest? Just kinda getting things organized for next year... Thank you in advance. Greatly appreciated. -- Judith C Feist Co Director, the Hub at Back Alley *"*Radical simply means 'grasping things at the root'"- Angela Davis "A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle." -Gloria Steinem I think [the bicycle] has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world...It gives a woman a feeling of freedom and self-reliance.~Susan B. Anthony

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Re. Fundraising Inquiry
by Geoffrey Smart 24 Jan '19

24 Jan '19

Try booking is popular in Australia for fundraisers and I know several organisations that have used it successfully for fundraisers. Works well but there is a fee to use. https://www.trybooking.com/ Regards Geoff Smart Back2Bikes Port Melbourne -- Sent from Gmail Mobile

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Boise Bicycle Project is hiring a Youth Programs Coordinator
by Emily Summerhays 24 Jan '19

24 Jan '19

Beautiful Boise is currently one of the most desirable places in the country to live; and our vibrant bike culture is stretching and growing! We are hiring a Youth Programs Coordinator. Applicants with professional bike mechanics experience and work experience with youth will have priority. Read the job description and requirements below or navigate here: https://www.boisebicycleproject.org/youth-coordinator *Our Mission* Boise Bicycle Project (BBP) is a community-oriented cooperative that promotes the personal, social and environmental benefits of bicycling. We function as a bicycle recycling center as well as an educational workspace in a diverse and non-threatening atmosphere. Through education and access to inexpensive bicycles we strive to build a stronger bicycling community. *We Believe:* Boise has the potential to become the "Bicycling Capital of America." We envision a community where everyone, regardless of income, can enjoy all of the empowering benefits of bicycling. We are doing our darnedest to help Boise reach that potential every day. *Our Youth Program:* The Boise Bicycle Project donates 500-700 bicycles to opportunity-youth every year. In 2015, BBP launched a new Youth Path of Opportunity Program (Y-POP) to make sure all youth ages 4-18 have the opportunity to enjoy all of the benefits a bicycle can provide. This program makes bicycles, bicycle repair, and bicycle safety education available to youth at no cost. *The Youth Programs Coordinator Position:* BBP is hiring a new Youth Programs Coordinator to maintain, grow, and develop the Y-POP program. Our dream candidate is someone who will engage and inspire youth to reach new levels of opportunity in the community and at BBP through bicycling. Above all else, the Youth Programs Coordinator must have a passion for teaching youth. Next comes a passion for the empowering benefits of bicycling. An effective Youth Programs Coordinator will create rewarding and purposeful opportunities for the youth to take part in BBP’s Y-POP program, while working with the rest of BBP’s staff to serve its mission. *Qualifications* - Strong Interpersonal skills, with the ability to work/teach a diverse youth population - Proficient bicycle mechanical skills are a definite plus, but not required - Bachelors Degree or higher, or Specialized Education/Vocational Certificate - Teaching experience - Strong verbal and written communication skills - Proven ability to initiate effective outside the box ideas/programs - Must be able to thrive in a team centered environment - Passion for bicycles as a tool for transportation and empowerment - Passion for and understanding of underserved populations *Job Duties and Responsibilities* *Youth Development* - Maintain and increase fulfilling opportunities for BBP’s Y-POP programs - Recruit and create opportunities for youth of all backgrounds - Provide clear and consistent opportunities for youth to grow their skills - Prepare jobs and tasks for daily youth activities - Develop innovative and sustainable training tactics to engage and educate youth *Program Enhancement* - Work with the Executive Director, Operations Manager, Lead Mechanic, Volunteer Coordinator, and the rest of BBP’s staff to provide valuable learning opportunities that enhance BBP’s other services - Direct BBP’s Youth Work-Trade Program (develop beneficial and educational tasks for work traders) - Establish a new Youth Earn-a-Bike program that’s inclusive of all youth (goal of at least 25 participants a year) - Help Facilitate annual Christmas Kids Bike Giveaway and monthly Kid B.A.S.H. safety classes - Schedule all youth activity programs and events *Outreach and Reporting* - Maintain a record keeping program and youth resource contact list - Create and distribute effective and educational materials to program participants - Complete Y-POP reports for The BBP Experience newsletter - Submit an annual Y-POP report covering total amounts of youth activities, hours and attendance, review of programs, and plans for future development. - Develop and maintain relationships with other youth organizations within the area. *Compensation* $12 - $14 salaried, based on a 5 day 35-40 hour workweek. Benefits include Health Insurance, Retirement Package, Commuter Support Program, Paid Vacation and Sick Leave *How to Apply* *Email your resume, cover letter (in your cover letter, please address how you identify with BBP’s mission statement), and three work related references with contact info to **emily(a)boisebicycleproject.org* <emily(a)boisebicycleproject.org>*. Position open until filled; applications received by January 25, 2019 will receive priority consideration.* -- Emily Thompson Summerhays Director of Operations Boise Bicycle Project 1027 S. Lusk Street Boise, Idaho 83702 208.429.6520 boisebicycleproject.org https://youtu.be/D-v5vS-03gk?t=8s

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Announcing the Passing of Darren Knox
by Josh Bisker 23 Jan '19

23 Jan '19

Our beloved friend Darren Knox passed away this weekend, finding peace after a long and painful battle against cancer. He was a deeply gentle, loving person with a generous spirit and a beautiful heart. His final conversation was with a childhood friend, to whom he said "I love this world," and "people are beautiful." He was 33. Darren died at his home in New Orleans surrounded by a close circle of loving friends and his parents. He had been fighting with the cancer for a couple years now, but had kept his struggle mostly private. His health declined sharply over the last few months; between spring and fall this year, he lost a huge amount of weight and energy, and his body started slowly failing as his cancer advanced. Although he had planned to come to Bike!Bike! in LA, a city he had once called home, he was no longer up to it when the time came. When we talked on the phone that weekend, he broke down crying, which was very rare for him. He said, "I'm usually so stoical about all of this ... but I just can't take it that I'm never going to make it to another BikeBike." Darren had dedicated his time and love to bike coops in New Orleans, Chicago, and Portland (and I believe other places too), and many of us knew him from Bike!Bike!; his first one was in 2013 in New Orleans (he moved to New Orleans after Bike!Bike! 2013, you know. He just stayed -- how about that?). Darren expressed to me passionately and often that Bike!Bike!, the community bike shop world, and all the people in our tribe have been among the most important parts of his life -- the things that have given him the greatest sense of purpose, belonging, comfort, and happiness. Our labor, our love, our camaraderie, our boldness and zest for life, our politics and commitment to gender equity, our do-it-together "yes we can" sensibility, and, more than anything, the warm, deep, wacky love we show each other as a community ... all these things kept his spirit burning brightly for the world around him, for his entire adult life. *Darren also had hopes for our community*: he strongly desired that we work more mindfully and expressly on confronting white supremacy. He actually led a workshop on this in Columbus in 2014 -- this is actually where I learned to understand the term white supremacy, if you can believe it. When I visited him in New Orleans last month, he told me that this is still his wish: that we work hard, as a community, towards making this struggle central to our movement. I hope his vision guides our futures. And I hope, as well, that in the midst of our sadness, we all feel glad that the movement we've built together so far became one of the most meaningful parts of the beautiful life that has just sailed away from us. There will be a memorial service for Darren in New Orleans on February 9th; you are all welcome. Check the Bike!Bike! Facebook group <https://www.facebook.com/groups/648758205249998/?ref=bookmarks> for details, housing arrangements, and so on. So, let us organize. There's talk afoot about ensuring that future BikeBike conferences work to include workshops on issues like "Moving Beyond Saviorism Towards Solidarity" -- the title of the one Darren facilitated in Columbus -- and other topics related to overcoming white supremacy. There's also been ideas floated about a monetary collection, possibly to fund an organization that Darren was passionate about, or to bring anti-racism teachings and actions into our own organizations. Please contribute your ideas in this thread and we'll see where we go. Please also feel free to contribute your memories and photos of Darren here. If you wish, we'll do what we can to convey these down to New Orleans on the 9th. "I Love This World" and "People Are Beautiful" are nice last words. Please carry them with you today. Josh Josh Bisker 914-500-9890 New York Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op <http://bikecoop.nyc/> 596 Acres <http://596acres.org/> Bindlestiff Family Cirkus <http://bindlestiff.org/>

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National Bike Summit
by Sylvie Baele 20 Jan '19

20 Jan '19

Hi folks, Is anyone going to the summit? Looking to split a room at the hotel. about $330/each. Sylvie

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Bike share / Dockless systems info
by Jim D. Mayerstein 18 Jan '19

18 Jan '19

Hi all! This is a little off-topic from bike collectives stuff but still in the bike spectrum of things, so here's what's up: Mexico City just installed the first technical board for bike share and dockless transportation systems infrastructure and operations management and I'm super stoked to be part of it. Right now we're trying to gather information from other systems around the world on what their regulations are specifically with the dockless bikes and scooters operators. Some of the questions we're trying to find answers for are: - What are the requirements for companies that offer these services to operate in your city? - Do companies have to pay some sort of right to operate in the city? If so, how much is it and how often do you do contract renewal? - Which are the penalties for companies who don't stick to the rules? - Do companies have to install infrastructure for their bikes? Given they are dockless, some sort of designated spaces or areas? - Do companies have to contribute to the bike infrastructure maintenance? If you or anyone you know have some info or is willing to chat at some point, let me know! Thanks everyone! Much love, -Jim Mayerstein

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Photos from Bike!Bike! 2015 Guadalajara
by Laura Borealis 16 Jan '19

16 Jan '19

Hey yall - I hate that I'm so late on this, but I figured it was about time. Here I present to you my photos from Bike!Bike! 2015 in Guadalajara plus the post ride to Tequila! <https://www.flickr.com/photos/lauraeliza/albums/72157659489974198> I spent a lot of sweet moments with our beloved Darren during this time, when our motto of the trip was "dormir es morir" (to sleep is to die!), 'cause we were just having a blast soaking up every single moment of being there with all of you! Thank you all for the love and support. 💕 Laura

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Public repair stations
by Tigre Bici 13 Jan '19

13 Jan '19

Hello! This email is to ask if any of your shops/collectives/cities have public repair stations and if so, what have been the experiences with them (good usages/theft/general opinions). Has anybody made their own repair station? advice? We have and extra tool kit that nobody is using so we are thinking on making one station and putting it outside the shop for general usage. We are a bit concerned about theft since the area gets really dark and lonely at night with some theft to houses and cars; so we are thinking on something that its fixated to the floor but tools are just available during daytime (to prevent theft) We found some info online on measures (attached), what do you think of this type of station? Abrazos R.

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Year's End
by Cyclista Nicholas 31 Dec '18

31 Dec '18

Best wishes to everyone for the new year!!!! I'm thankful for for all your thought, passion, and action this year. Stay safe tonight! 2019 needs you :) cyclista Nicholas Director Recycle Ithaca's Bicycles

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