One nice thing about working at the Hub is that everything is always changing. This is also why working here is so challenging, but I think mostly we love it otherwise we wouldn’t be here.
This week our youth headed back to school and I had to shift into a different mode. In June and July this year I was working with kids four days a week sometimes as early as 8:30am. Friday was my catch up day to return phone calls, emails and write these updates for the website. In there were also program staff meetings, off site meetings with program partners and volunteer trainings. This year was the first year we used our programming space seven days a week for mechanic education.
But now school has started and funding is dwindling so we have retreated back to three days a week of education and after this month it will be only two. That sounds so…boring! So what am I up to? Why didn’t I write this update until Friday afternoon? Seems like there was all the time in the world! Let me give you a sneak peek at what we will be up to this September and then into the fall…
Coming up this month there are a few dates to look out for:
– Sunday, September 9th: I’ll be at the Tour De Ford ride tabling with our four MITs and then doing some mechanical work on the 10 mile ride.
Also on the 9th Jack will be attending a Detroit Interfaith Network potluck time joining many other groups that work with youth in our city.
– Saturday, September 15th: We have a team of volunteers that will be fixing sweeping and tabling at the Tour De Troit ride.
– Monday, September 17th: We will be hosting the American Institute of Architects in the Back Alley Bikes space for a round table discussion about bike infrastructure. Come share your thoughts. They are looking for perspectives from city and suburban dwelling riders. Starts at 6pm.
– Sunday, September 23rd: We will be hosting a family friendly youth ride in collaboration with the Detroit Design Festival. We’ll have a few decorations on hand so you can decorate your bicycle and then we will be going for a short tide together. Decorate bikes at 10am. Ride at Noon. For more info, check out the Detroit Design Festival website.
Other changes you might see soon
Also, this September you’ll be seeing some other changes as we transition into autumn. As part of our long fought battle to obtain our 501(c)3 status we need to change a few things we do on paper. In reality, not much will change. But as many folks have asked, “Is Back Alley Bikes still around?” and we have answered, “Yes, we just call it the Hub now.” We will now have yet again a new answer for all of you.
On paper The Hub and Back Alley Bikes will be two different groups. Back Alley Bikes will be a non-profit that owns a bike shop – The Hub of Detroit. So when you shop at the Hub you will still be supporting the programs at Back Alley Bikes, just like you always have. That will not be changing. The only difference you may see is the Back Alley Bikes logo above appearing more places.
You’ll see that logo along with info about our classes which will all occur at Back Alley Bikes. You’ll see that logo when we ask for donations because you will be donating to Back Alley Bikes. You’ll see that logo on ads for fundraisers, because you will be raising funds for Back Alley Bikes.
But you can still shop at the Hub like you always have.
Hopefully that makes sense (Hub = retail shop / Back Alley Bikes = non-profit and programming area). Let me know if you have questions.
Projects for further down the line
As many of you positively responded to our bike drive this year we are going to continue to strengthen the way we get donations. This means working to set up a network of drop off locations so you don’t always have to drive all the way to our location to make a donation. We are currently seeking drop off locations and volunteers that will be willing to help pick up bikes.
Also, as part of the bike drive we have received many 20″ and smaller bikes for youth. We usually give these away through partnering organizations. I want to start getting rid of more of them. Let us know if you have contacts at schools or other community organizations that service families with youth under the age of 7 years old.
As I mentioned earlier, just two days a week of programming is just…boring. So this fall we’ll be looking at ways to plan on having at least one more day a week we can have youth in the shop next spring. This means finding funding and planning out at least one day a week of an after-school program for youth aged 8-16 years old.
Starting this month we will be continuing to work with the Detroit Main Library on their “bike tech” program through December. This is a program the library was able to start this past summer and can now expand due to extra funds they had. This is done in collaboration with the HYPE Teen Center at the main library.
This winter is not a time to stop riding a bike or doing bike related things. After two successful Progressive Dinner by Bicycle rides this year, I don’t see why we should stop doing fundraisers just because a few folks think it is cold outside.
But this is where I need your help. What kind of fundraiser would you come to? Hubsprintz? A bike art auction? A polar lap challenge where you get folks to donate a certain amount of money for every lap you ride around Belle Isle in the middle of January? A wheel building class? A movie night?
Leave some comments here or on our facebook and let us know what you are interested in doing this winter.
Also, we’ve got a lot of video footage from this past summer from one of our volunteers Bill. Pretty soon you should start seeing some good recaps of what we all accomplished.
And finally, I can’t wait until January when Heather and I will be taking our four Mechanic-in-Training students to New York for the Youth Bike Summit.
So I guess we’ve got a few things to work on. We aren’t slowing down – just shifting gears and headed uphill.
– jason x
Program Director
Back Alley Bikes