Hi Wade, all,

I'm copying below the Free Cycles Missoula employee handbook, at 18 pages. Please- anyone feel free to copy and use any and all of it. And any feedback for improvments are appreciated.

This is a living document, revised as we need to. Thanks!

Bob Giordano, Director, Free Cycles Missoula, www.freecycles.org, 406.541.7284, Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation, www.strans.org, mist@strans.org

Employee Handbook Free Cycles Missoula 732 S. 1st St. W. Missoula, MT 59801 406-541-7284 www.freecycles.org

Table of Contents

Introduction Programs Shop Rules Useful Tips FAQS Working with Community Policy of Inclusion Sexual Harassment Confidentiality Mandatory Reporters Staff Communications and Structure Scheduling Clocking In/Clocking Out Lunch Breaks Free Cycles Property Cleaning Routines Personal Bike Work Cell Phones Fragrance Policy Emergency Procedures First Aid/First Response Local Bike Shops Conclusion

Free Cycles Staff Handbook Introduction

Working at Free Cycles Missoula can be rewarding, empowering, exciting, and fun. Some days can be challenging, frustrating, sweaty, and hard. This handbook is to help guide the roles and responsibilities as a Free Cycles employee.

First, a little background on the mission of Free Cycles: Free Cycles was founded in 1996 to reduce congestion and air pollution by providing community access to recycled bicycles. Free Cycles provides bicycles, parts, tools, work space, and help for a healthy community. Programs focus on repurposing unused bicycles to reduce environmental pollution and increase freedom, empowerment and social change.

100 free green bikes were released onto the streets of Missoula over the first three years. From that simple seed has grown a sustainable transportation learning center, in the heart of Missoula. The mission of staff is to help nurture this effort and be a community partner in realizing an equitable and sustainable community.

While the earliest roots of the organization are grounded in environmental stewardship, later years have seen substantial growth in social initiatives. Harmonizing the intersection of environment and society is a main strength and goal of Free Cycles.

Programs

Open Shop Program: We are open Wednesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm. During this time anyone can bring a bike in and fix it. We provide stands, tools, parts, and help. This is a donation based service. We do not charge for stand time, yet appreciate any support of time, money, or extra bike-related items. Our goal is to teach people how to fix their bike, not to do it for them. We also realize there will be times when someone gets very frustrated trying to fix their bike and we may do it for them, explaining how the repair is completed.

Any needed parts to make someone's bike run well (if the existing part cannot be fixed) can be obtained from the parts room or harvested from the Bike Forest.

Several public work stations are available on a first come-first serve basis. In order to serve more people, on the busiest days we sometimes limit people's time at a station to 2 hours.

An important aspect of Open Shop is to ask questions and assess the bicycle and the needs of the person requesting service. An example: someone has a broken shifter. It might take an hour to help them fix or replace the shifter. However, we've had instances where (upon questioning) the person never shifts gears and uses just one gear. In this case, the person may be just fine with us helping them use the limit screws to set the bike into one good gear-a task that might only take 2 minutes.

Build-A-Bike Program: Also known as the free bike program. After taking the BikeWell class and volunteering an hour and a half, people can choose a bicycle from our stock of available bikes. It then takes an average of 1-3 hours to fix a bicycle. We have limited on-site storage space for bicycles that are not completed by a patron. We encourage people to take projects with them when they leave, if possible. If their bicycle stays on-site, it should get a tag with name, date and phone number and then stored in the People's Project room.

For the adult Build a Bike program (‘adult’ meaning over age 10 in this instance), the 90 minutes of service can be helping with anything we need around the property and shop. Tasks vary and no bicycle knowledge or experience is required.

The Build-A-Bike program is also available to children ages 10 and under, yet the class and service/volunteer time is not required in order to earn a bike. For the children’s program- Youth Cycles- we strive to have some bikes ready to go and also a good selection of bikes needing very little work to become safe and enjoyable.

More on Youth Cycles: Kids 10 and under can receive a bike for free with no class or service time required. The child must come with an adult supervisor, parent or guardian. Some kid bikes need work and some are ready to ride. Donations for this service are much appreciated. The main area for this program is along the eastern edge of the property, with work stations focused inside the Bike Barn.

People can also purchase a Build-A-Bike instead of volunteering. All Build-A-Bike projects are $30 as is. We can help fix the bike (if an open shop station is available) or the bike can be taken away and worked on elsewhere when feasible.

BikeWell Classes: BikeWell is a 20-minute introduction to Free Cycles and bicycling in Missoula. We typically offer BikeWell on-demand. When someone arrives on site and wants to participate to earn a free bicycle, a staff member will offer the BikeWell class with the patron, as the 1st step in the process.

CIVIC (Citizens InVesting In Community) Cycles: This is our sales program that helps support our donation-based programs. CIVIC Cycles provides ready to go, affordable, refurbished bicycles for the community to purchase if they choose. Sale bikes typically have a price range of $100 and up, with the average price being $150-$200. As a general rule of thumb, we can knock 10% off any sale bicycle to help make the bicycle more affordable for someone. We offer this discount if someone asks.

In some instances, we can offer these sale bikes as rental bikes. Typical rental prices are $5 to $10 a day, $50 a week or $75-$100 for three months. We do not advertise rental bikes and attempt to meet the community's needs on a case by case basis.

General shop and property rules:

-Shoes and shirts are required for safety and sanitation -Free Cycles does not allow pets in our facility. The main reason behind this is for the protection of people using service animals. If someone claims their dog is a service animal yet it is not clear if they are being honest due to lack of a vest or no visible task being performed, please ask that they are willing to have the dog on a leash. -No alcohol or people under the influence of alcohol during shop hours -No smoking on Free Cycles property during open shop hours -No aggressive language or actions -All abandoned/found bicycles should be called in to the City at 406-552-6312 or a form filled out at https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/1451/Found-Bicycles

Useful Tips

Some extra things to keep in mind while working at Free Cycles:

Stay hydrated and well fed Prioritize taking care of yourself Be social yet brief Check in with people early and often

Working with Community

Let people work on a bicycle themselves. Let them use tools, make mistakes, and learn new skills. This is all part of the Free Cycles model and experience. Sometimes it can be tempting or seem easier to just fix something for someone. However, we are teachers and mentors to people and the community. A great way to support someone’s mechanical growth is to demonstrate and explain what needs to be done, ask if there are any questions and then walk away- and then come back soon to see how they are doing or if they need further guidance. There can be exceptions to this protocol- in some situations it is better if we do the repair. Examples include: someone is getting really frustrated, someone is in a time crunch (getting to a job), or it is nearing shop-closing time. Even in this situation, ask if it is OK to do the work for them (they may want to struggle and stick with it!).

Always communicate and ask questions with the person you are helping. Do not assume they know something, or that they don’t know anything. Ensure they understand the explanations or lessons you are giving them by following-up. Do not take tools or parts from anyone’s hands without asking for their permission first. This last statement is worth repeating: _always_ ask someone before taking a tool or part out of their hands, or before working on their bicycle. A simple ‘May I?’ question is often all that is needed.

FAQS

Questions you will be asked as a Free Cycles staff:

Can I trade my bike for a different bike?

As a general rule, we do not trade bikes. The reasons we generally do not trade bikes: we do not know if the bike is safe and sound, if the bike may have been stolen at some point, and, as a charitable nonprofit, our free programs and our sale bikes have proven to be effective for meeting our mission. People are more than welcome to donate their bicycle to Free Cycles and either volunteer or donate money to receive a different bike. We do make exceptions to this on a limited basis.

Can patrons give employees money tips?

All donations/tips should go directly from a patron/donor’s hand into the Free Cycles donation box. Free Cycles is a grassroots organization with a tight budget. All donations ensure the stability and growth of our organization. In rare cases, patrons really want to show that they are making a donation and will insist on handing cash directly to the staff person. In this case it is best to thank the patron and then deposit the donation into the donation box fairly immediately.

Does Free Cycles accept any and all bicycles as donations?

We accept all bicycle-related donations. Sometimes we are asked if we can pick up bicycles yet it is best if they are dropped off at our shop during open hours. If that cannot be arranged, we attempt to pick up the person's donation when we have time and capacity. Other common items we need include: tools, paper towels, hand soap, old (yet clean) shirts/socks for rags, and green building supplies such as wood, clay pots, solar panels and hemp insulation.

Do we have tax receipts?

Yes, we give out receipts for donations. For donated bikes, parts, tools and other equipment, we simply hand over a blank receipt (pre-stamped with a free cycles logo). By law, we do not fill in the value of the donated items nor do we advise of the value. For donated items that the donor considers to have a value of $250 or less, no receipt is needed.

How is Free Cycles funded?

We do not have one major funder, grant or contract that keeps us going. Free Cycles is funded by everyday people that utilize the community shop and give donations into the red box, sale bikes, fees-for-services (such as workshops and special projects) and small grants.

Do you have a welder or other power tools available?

No, we do not. We strive to use hand tools, to be safe and to be as sustainable as possible.

Can I pay you to fix my bicycle?

We do not have the capacity to fix people’s bicycles for them. We can help teach people how to fix their bicycle as long as they have time and the willingness to learn. There are many retail bicycle shops in town that can do bicycle repairs for a fee. There are extenuating circumstances in which case we can sometimes arrange to fix someone’s bicycle for them.

Does Free Cycles have adult tricycles?

We sometimes have adult trikes, yet they are rare and a hot commodity. There is a large need for tricycles for people in our community who face both physical and mental barriers. People can email us with their request and further details if they would like to be on a waiting list for a tricycle.

What kind of shop are you?

We are a community bicycle shop. We are not a retail bicycle shop (Missoula has many of those) nor are we a co-op (although we have similar aspects to a true co-op). Our main goal and mission is to get more people empowered to fix their own bike, become stewards of the environment, reuse and recycle, be a part of the community, and to utilize green, active transportation methods. Free Cycles has a board of directors and leadership team that guides the organization.

Do you host events?

Yes, we typically host many events, from potlucks to thesis readings to theater and concerts. People interested in collaborating on an event at Free Cycles should email the director at mist@strans.org. This contact can also be found on the website, www.freecycles.org

Do you do advocacy work?

Yes, we have a branch of Free Cycles called MIST- the Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation. MIST works to make Missoula less car dependent and more walkable, bikeable and friendly for mass transit. MIST addresses streets, trails, city design issues and much more. We generally advocate for bikeways, walkways, modern one-lane roundabouts, people-friendly streets, slower car speeds and a mixed-use community full of transportation options. As an employee of Free Cycles, you are also an employee of MIST and should become familiar with the techniques we use to grow sustainable transportation in Missoula.

Can you help with my Ebike?

Currently Free Cycles has been providing very limited support for ebikes, with parts, tools, work space and help for a variety of basic functions like: Tire and tube issues- like basic flats which are harder with bigger wheels. Brake issues- primarily the mechanical disc brakes with small adjustments for the calipers pads. This needs to be done with a conversation to be sure the patron riding the bike understands the full potential of issues surrounding brakes for ebikes. General bike service points- like handlebar/front wheel alignment, chain issues, and shifting/derailleur issues. The focus should be helping patrons with our direct knowledge that relates to parts and service for pedal-only bikes. We can offer tips for heavier, secure locking systems that seem to be required for the more expensive ebikes that seem to be a higher theft attractant. We generally stop at this level of service, yet we can provide a detailed list of retail bike shops and the ebikes services they currently provide in the Missoula Area. This information was compiled after having face to face meetings with each store. See the front room information area for the ebike document. Another note on powered bicycles: While we can help in a limited capacity with ebikes, we do not service or help with bicycles that have been outfitted with gasoline engines. The smell and danger is too high to have these motorbikes inside the shop.

Policy of Inclusion

The Free Cycles Community Bicycle Shop strives to be a safe, open, and accessible space. We value diversity, integrity, respect, and people working together. We welcome input, feedback and participation. Utilizing the services of Free Cycles is a privilege for all.

Breaking this policy of inclusion (POI) can result in the loss of privilege for using Free Cycles’ services. Examples of breaking this policy could be the use of demeaning language or actions that are harming others or detrimental to a healthy community. When this policy is broken, we can ask people to leave the shop.

As an employee, it is important to adhere to this policy just as everyone else. Our actions and communications matter. We should be very mindful of appropriate body language, tone, text and volume when engaging with each other and with the community.

If a staff witnesses or becomes aware of breaches in this policy of inclusion, the situation should be addressed:

First, mitigate any immediate potential harm.

Second, communicate with the offending party and resolve the situation. If possible, this should be done in private. This can and should be done publicly if safety is a concern.

If the situation cannot be resolved, other staff should be consulted for support. For more serious violations, a member of the Free Cycles leadership team (Executive Director and Programs Director) should be made aware of the situation and asked for help. For any episodes of note, please fill out an incident report in the Incident Report notebook.

Only the leadership team has the authority to restrict members of the public from utilizing Free Cycles services for more than one day.

Examples of POI breaches that can occur at Free Cycles:

Being under the influence of alcohol: we do not allow people to drink alcohol on-site during open shop hours. This includes being obviously inebriated. The solution is to ask the person to leave the area and come back when they are sober.

Using aggressive or abusive language or actions towards others: if members of the public engage in any type of bullying towards staff or other community members then the offending party must be asked to leave.

Not following general rules: While we do not have many rules for utilizing the shop and grounds, the ones we do have are important in order to maintain a safe and welcoming space for all. Rule breeches can result in loss of services. Rules also change from time to time, as we learn and grow. An example of changing rules would be our adjustments for pandemics, which are based on health guidelines and best practices.

There are different levels of restrictions that can occur when someone breaks the Policy of Inclusion or shop rules. The restriction depends on the severity of the offense and the history of the patron. Sometimes it may result in a permanent loss of Free Cycles resources, while other times it may be asking someone to leave for a day. After any altercation, dispute or restriction, an incident report should be filled out and filed.

Staff play an integral role on the front lines for making the space inclusive for all. It can be a challenge to maintain a fair and equitable shop environment. Words that are offensive or demeaning to one person may not be offensive or hurtful to another person. While we are accepting of free speech and the expression of different beliefs, we must always consider the greater community good. As a staff we need to explicitly strive to always do our best leading by example. We must not make assumptions about people's knowledge, background, gender, or race when helping someone. It is also crucial to be considerate of each other internally as staff as well as shop patrons.

Sexual Harassment

Free Cycles is committed to providing a safe environment for all its employees, free from discrimination on any ground and from harassment at work, including sexual harassment. Free Cycles does not tolerate sexual harassment in the workplace, treats all incidents seriously and promptly investigates all allegations of sexual harassment. Any person found to have sexually harassed another will face disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from employment or use of the shop in the case of a patron. All complaints of sexual harassment will be taken seriously and treated with respect and in confidence. No one will be victimized for making such a complaint.

What Is Harassment?

Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature which makes a person feel offended, humiliated and/or intimidated. It includes situations where a person is asked to engage in sexual activity as a condition of that person’s employment, as well as situations which create an environment which is hostile, intimidating or humiliating for the recipient. Sexual harassment can involve one or more incidents and actions constituting harassment may be physical, verbal and non-verbal. Examples of conduct or behaviour which constitute sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:

Making rude or insulting comments Using racial, gender-based, homophobic, or transphobic slurs towards someone Making unwanted sexual advances Insisting on talking to someone after they have asked you to leave them alone Insisting on getting someone's personal information Following someone Blocking someone's path Getting in someone's personal space Flashing a body part Touching someone without their consent Photographing someone without their consent Masturbating in public Whistling at someone Looking at pornographic materials in a public space or showing someone porn without their consent

Complaint Procedures:

Anyone who is subject to sexual harassment should, if possible, inform the alleged harasser that the conduct is unwanted and unwelcome. Free Cycles recognises that sexual harassment may occur in unequal relationships and that it may not be possible for the victim to inform the alleged harasser. If a victim cannot directly approach an alleged harasser, they can approach one of the designated staff members responsible for receiving complaints of sexual harassment. This person could be another supervisor, a member of the human resources department, etc. When a designated person receives a complaint of sexual harassment, they will:

-immediately record the dates, times and facts of the incident(s) -ascertain the views of the victim as to what outcome they desire -ensure that the victim understands the company’s procedures for dealing with the complaint -discuss and agree to the next steps: either informal or formal complaint, on the understanding that choosing to resolve the matter informally does not preclude the victim from pursuing a formal complaint if they are not satisfied with the outcome -keep a confidential record of all discussions -respect the choice of the victim -ensure that the victim knows that they can lodge the complaint outside of the company through the relevant country/legal framework

Some tools or statements for a bystander to respond to sexual harassment:

• You need to stop. • That’s so inappropriate. • What you just said made me feel uncomfortable. Here’s why… • Do you realize how wrong that is? • We need to talk about what you just said. • Why would you say that?

Based on the person’s reaction or repetitive behavior, in a calm and honest matter the person should be told: “You have broken our community policies several times, we cannot have this behavior at our facility and you need to leave. We value helping all people yet you have broken our protocols.”

Highest priority should be protection of one another as staff, volunteers, and public.

Managing the environment to the best of our ability and then enacting Free Cycles values and policies is how we generally uphold a safe and accessible space. Other important aspects:

Proactive approaches include the BikeWell introduction class addressing these issues. Speaking up in the moment as much as possible. *Note: addressing an issue at the moment is typically better than just asking a patron to leave or not come back since we do not have a case management system with people’s contact information. However, it should be recognized that this is not always possible and that there is no expiration date to make a report about someone’s behavior. Recognizing we all have varying boundaries.

Work comes second and safety comes first

• One way to take care of yourself is by leaving to go to the break

room, go outside or leaving the site (if possible, let someone know about the situation before leaving)

If you need immediate support with a situation that needs addressing, you can ask a fellow employee, ‘I need you, can you come now?’.

Any staff has the ability to ask someone to leave at any time to prioritize safety- you do not need outside approval. Further bans, restrictions and outcomes can come later.

Incident Report Protocol: We must document incidents, as that is helpful for the organization in the long-run. Include as many details as possible about the incident, such as date, time, location, behaviors and other pertinent information.

We do the best that we can and we are all human. It can be tough to handle an incident in the moment no matter how much preparation, training, or confidence you have.

Restorative Questions Post Incident When things go wrong… What happened? What were you thinking at the time? What have you thought about since? Who has been affected by what? In what way? What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

Support one another to help one another grow. Communication is key.

Confidentiality

Staff will, to the best of their ability, ensure confidentiality and privacy in regard to history, records, and discussions about the people we serve. The very fact that an individual is served by this nonprofit must be kept private or confidential. This means that staff shall not disclose any information about a person, including the fact that the person is or is not served by Free Cycles, to anyone outside of this organization unless authorized by the executive director or other authorized personnel. The principle of confidentiality must be maintained in all programs, departments, functions and activities.

No information requested by someone outside the nonprofit will be given over the telephone. Staff is instructed to respond with the statement: “Nonprofit policy does not permit me to give out this information.”
That includes whether or not a person is or has been served by this nonprofit- unless authorized by the patron. Staff will not discuss any individual’s record with unauthorized individuals, whether on or off duty. Mandatory Reporters In Montana, child abuse or neglect includes physical, emotional, or sexual abuse of minors (as well as exploitation) and is taken seriously by the Montana justice system. Adults that have regular access to children or consistently communicate with children, and have reason to believe that a child has been abused, are therefore required to report any issues to the authorities. Mandatory reporters in Montana include teachers, police officers, and child care workers. Reports must be made immediately after first suspicion of abuse. Child abuse consists of harm -or substantial risk of harm- to a child’s health and welfare; or abandonment including acts or omissions of person responsible for child’s welfare. You may report, by phone, any suspected child abuse case to the local Family Services Office. You must include: The names and addresses of the child and child’s parents or other persons responsible for their care; To the extent known, the child’s age, the nature and extent of the child’s injuries, including any evidence of previous injuries; Any other information you believe might be helpful in establishing the cause of the injuries or showing the willful neglect and the identity of the person or persons responsible; The facts which led the person reporting to believe that the child has suffered injury or injuries or willful neglect. It is important to note that it can be overwhelming to have a child tell you about abuse. It is important to stay calm and monitor your own reaction while paying close attention to what they are saying. Know that an expert will follow-up on the incident, and it is important to communicate to the Free Cycles leadership team who can then help determine proper steps to contact the right agency.

Staff Communications and Structure We have staff meetings on an as-needed basis. The leadership team will set the agenda for these meetings, and will include any relevant thoughts regarding operations and flow. Please find an appropriate time to bring up any other outside concerns to the leadership team.

Scheduling Free Cycles sets a staff schedule for about two weeks at a time. This schedule will be released a week prior to the work week. We ask that any time off is requested as soon possible, but no later than two weeks in advance. Clocking In/Clocking Out You will be provided with a PIN to clock in and clock out to record your hours each week. This can happen on the Free Cycles computer or your smartphone device if preferred. Please make a habit of clocking in and clocking out to help the payroll process go smoothly and be on time. If an error occurs, you can manually adjust your time to then be approved by the Programs Director.

Lunch Breaks

Free Cycles provides a paid 30 minute lunch break each day. If you need a longer break that is not on the schedule, please communicate with the team before clocking out.

Free Cycles’ Property

Free Cycles purchased the 28,000 sq. ft. building and two acres of land with a community campaign in 2016. Free Cycles utilizes half the property for programs and rents the other half of the property to local organizations. This means we must be respectful of the other tenants. A symbiotic relationship has grown over time and we will continue this structure as long as needed.

Cleaning Routines

A productive, engaging and healthy work space is reliant on a clean environment. At the end of the day we strive for the following: all tools away, counters wiped, floors swept, bathrooms wiped down/clean, and trash emptied into the larger blue can located on the side of the warehouse. When there is down time during the day, this is also an opportunity to keep the shop clean and organized. Please refer to the cleaning checklists on clipboards in the breakroom and complete accordingly. We share the cleaning workload as an entire staff.

Personal Bike Work

Please refrain from working on your personal bikes at the shop when you are clocked in.

Cellphones

If you need to use your cellphone for anything personal (such as an important call or text), please do so in a more private area of the shops and property, or off site. This pertains to keeping a good work environment and ethic without distractions for the entire team as well as the community. While the cellphone can be a handy tool for bike work, such as using the flashlight or searching YouTube or other online resources when you are stumped on a repair, it is inappropriate to be using your cellphone for personal reasons while clocked in. An exception would be using your phone for personal reasons while on a lunch break- that is fine.

Fragrance Policy

Personal fragrant products (fragrances, colognes, lotions, powders and other similar products) that are perceptible to others should not be worn by employees. Other fragrant products (scented candles, potpourri and other similar items) are also not permitted in the workplace. Use of cleaning products other than those provided by Free Cycles are prohibited for cleaning the workspaces. Our chemically-sensitive co-workers and clients thank you.

Emergency Procedures

Free Cycles strives to avoid calling law enforcement, even in difficult scenarios. Calling the City's Mobile Crisis Unit (MCU) by dialing 911 and requesting MCU is usually a better option. Another community resource available for help is the HOT team (Homeless Outreach Team), and they can be contacted via the Poverello Center: 406-493-7955. First Aid/First Responders Trained staff can assist with first aid procedures, or 911 can be called. There have only been a couple of medical incidents in the history of Free Cycles. One person had a seizure and we quickly assisted the patron. Another person got a cut that needed stitches. We always strive to not have anything sharp anywhere, for better safety, or anything hanging overhead. We also strive for no tripping hazards. Please remediate any safety hazards.

Local Retail Bike Shops

Spotted Dog Cycles 406-529-0668 - 738 S. 1st St. W. Bicycle rentals with Marin and Esker Cycles, repairs, bicycle tours and touring gear, cool vibes Missoula Bicycle Works 406-721-6525 - 708 S Higgins Ave Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 6pm, Saturday 10a to 5p, sells Cannondale, Kona, and Trek The Bike Doctor 406-721-5357 - 1101 Toole Ave Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm, offers repairs only Big Sky Bikes 406-830-3195 - 809 E Front St. Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm, sells Specialized and Surly The Bicycle Hangar 406-728-9537 - 1801 Brooks St. or 424 N. Higgins Ave. Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm, sells Giant, Jamis, Santa Cruz, Haro, Juliana, Diamondback, Raleigh, Sun Bikes, and We The People Hellgate Cyclery 406-549-8785 - 316 N Higgins Ave Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm, sells Salsa, Ibis, and Fuji Missoula Bicycle Source 406-926-2674 - 1509 S Russell St Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, sells Rocky Mountain and Norco MTXC 406-830-3221 - 517 S. Orange St. Monday through Friday from 9am to 5:30pm, sells custom high end bicycles REI 406-541-1938 - 3275 N Reserve St Monday through Friday 10am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 6pm, offers repairs and sells REI bikes SCHEEL’S 406-218-7530 - 2901 Brooks St. Monday through Saturday from 9am to 9:00pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm, sells Trek and Bontrager

Conclusion Free Cycles strives to not only help the community fix, build and appreciate bicycles, we also strive to be a good work place with healthy employees. This is a work in progress and feedback for being a better work place is always appreciated.

On 2023-10-12 8:49 am, wade--- via TheThinkTank wrote: Bob,

Thank you for your feedback. Would you mind sharing your organizations policy manual with The Bike Connector? We need to create a manual and have better information for our volunteers and clients. Just yesterday a client left with an "Earn-Your-Bike" and immediately posted it to Facebook marketplace. Not cool. Stuff happens everyday. The good far outweighs the bad.

My e-mail is wade@bikeconnector.org

All the best.

Wade

Slightly edited version on http://novapeers.pbworks.com/w/page/154699098/ImpleMentingSS2023 I generally keep my MH stuff separate But somehow pounded out a response on smartphone So terse Then slept on it And decided to post.

Mental health is closer to race and ethnicity So even lumping it in with Alcohol and Other Drugs is DeMeaning, imnsho... Also a catch all for what others don't have AClueABout Aka Hate

clearly hierarchy and 'privilege' are at play as (Paid v. Board?) Staff (is?) somehow better than Other$ (¡=Board Members, Lawyers, Constitution, EuGenics, MAGA, cowboys/girls, clowns 🤡, snails, snakes, 🧫 etc) to determine inclusion(, occlusion, collusion, illusion...) safety, and Health (u a doc, not ToDay, actor playing PreTender) for (The Entire) "Community" (- ThoseInQuestion)

OMG there's a(n) x, y, z And start pointing and (knit 🧶 cat 😺 kitten 🐈 🐾) picking Bullying etc

Can I help you? (= Why are you/They/Otherze here?) Typical reply may be: I doubt it, nor do you really want/plan/intend/able to, Ad nauseum RedHerring...)

And are you OK? (= Why do you breathe? i.e. masked 😷 🎭ClOwns🤡: Let's fix that...)) Well , born this/that/another way Perhaps closer to LGBTQIA...

The Behavio(u)rs of exclusion, elitism, etc We're better than x, y, z Therefore determine others fate, Levels of "Service", only Allowed to: have a drink of water SideBar: (from that other fountain ⛲🖋️ firehouse , sign from <1960s /Simon says...WeSaidSo)

Use bathroom (= who's going to clean up after our tourer/itinerant/NiteWalker/Wheelchair 🦼 🦽 user/AIDS/DrugUser/Church Elder(ly)/Donor/OverStressedNewMom...?), a tool (pump, crow bar, HeadSet press, ThingAMaJig(1..n-1), Chain tool, Plasma Cutter, (TemPLAte: Recent Bolt? Cable cutter for wedding ring? w 2 males ~Brothers trying on?) to remove: Monster's Mask, (on Elephant(.../Electro) boy?), ScarLetLetterZ, (Skin tone...Lack thereof), Freckles, Liver/Age spots, RatTail, MoHawk, Weaves, Rug, Wig, WHig, Chastity belt, Apron, Schmock, HandCuffs, shackles, ZipTie?) Time in space, When Allowed in space To breathe, (Speak... Not speak), (Appear?... DeCloak?) Form (Contrary O'Pines...RaveReViews), BlasphemyVAut$peaks, Have (Long...No,Blue,Pink,Red,Grey,$_Colours...)Hair/Brillo? /Dashiki/ Burn$(p)FLags, In community, On planet, ThisSideThatSide InVisible Color /_,... line, AnyWhere in this RedLine state$, etc

Time's up

Eff this list and org I'm offended by this You Lose UnSub OP etc Citing Ableist, Classism , Exclusivity, )RePublican(Ism, Nazi, Stalin, MouseALini, TrodGoLyte, MarGoLoopie, Have(Tool/Weapon)InHandThereForeThinkDeVine/Noose, SoftSpotInOthersSkull/Neurons/ synapse, BioChem, SomeWhereInThatVacuumUpTop, etc like Hate, HowEver thinly cloaked/veiled... Word(-ed) etc

Likely posting this to NoVAPeers.PBWorks.com As may not even clear BullMailSPAMze Modz

Not a manifesto, btw Just decades of this (_$~¿^$_§✓©®™)

FinePrint for Lawyers, PoliDicks, et. Al. (~= +/- `Go(r|z)eianGreatInConvenience) Can't You (v. ATrueWe) UnderStand? Why? APunishingQ?

Pop(Head) Not a Rant nor Line noise See RegEx Petl Python, Awk,SEd,GNUXEMacs, LispM,Empire,TetrUs,etc

Pause BackTo$(L/H)eep)

On Sun, Oct 8, 2023, 02:05 Robert Christiansen via TheThinkTank < thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote:

You can look into mental health first aid training https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/ _______________________________________________ TheThinkTank mailing list -- thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org To unsubscribe send an email to thethinktank-leave@lists.bikecollectives.org To view this discussion on the web visit https://lists.bikecollectives.org/hyperkitty/list/thethinktank@lists.bikecol...