by Joey Steinberger (Semester In Detroit Intern)
Hey bikers of Detroit! A new bike shop is springing up in Southwest Detroit! Southwest Rides is a summer bike club that teaches youth in Southwest Detroit how to repair bikes and safely ride. Southwest Rides started five years ago out of a garage attached to the All Saints Neighborhood Center. The organization is a part of Urban Neighborhood Initiatives, a non-profit that works to improve life in Southwest Detroit. Their story sounds suspiciously like ours, we were once a part of Detroit Summer before we grew our own legs and opened our bike shop. Nonetheless, we won’t ask questions. The more youth on bikes the better!
Those youth will benefit from a bike shop in Southwest Detroit too. Southwest Detroit has the largest percentage of youth in the city and 40,000 residents. Despite these numbers, the area doesn’t have a single bike shop. Southwest Rides just started an online campaign to raise funds for a space where they can do all their good work. They are trying to raise $18,000 in the next 40 days to cover rent, utilities, outfitting the space, and all that fun stuff. They could use a donation to help them reach their goal.
Depending on how much you donate you could get anything from a high-five, to a bicycle tune-up! Also, for a measly $10,000 they’ll paint a mural of you in the shop that will immortalize you so your grandkids can visit the vibrant and bustling Southwest Rides decades from now and ask if you really looked that cool in 2013. If you’re feeling extra generous, you can always donate to us too (shameless plug). Those who are short on money and want to help out can volunteer with the construction of their shop in late April/early May.
Long live cycling!
Follow this link here to their online campaign if you would like to give!
Here is the video from their fundraising campaign if you are not already convinced this is a good idea: