Giving It Away: R Community Bikes, Inc.

Loaded for an excursion to Rochester Community Bikes Inc.

It has been a longtime goal to divest myself of some of the "junk" I've accrued in my house over the past 10+ years. Things like books my children and I no longer read, bicycles we as a family no longer ride and "things" that are simply of little use to us any longer. Tuesday I celebrated the start of summer break by beginning to follow through on this loosely defined aspiration by loading up my car and taking the short drive to Rochester Community Bikes Inc. in the city to donate two youth bicycles that have been (with one other that wouldn't fit into the lowered back seat of a Prius) collecting dust in the basement for over four years.

Who knew so much great stuff was going on within?

While I had previously searched out this organization as a likely destination for these donations (at one point last summer even "friending" the organization's Facebook page), Unfortunately, it took me too long a time to get my act together enough to actually make the delivery.

Though operating from an unassuming, and rather industrial looking, building in the city's north side (across from Freddie Thomas High School), I was surprised by the large number of volunteers working within, repairing donations for sale, stripping those bicycles that could not be repaired for parts, and interacting with those members of the community who had stopped by to make a purchase. Each week, the organization opens its doors to the community to participate in a lottery for free bicycles.

If you find yourself cleaning out the basement or garage and have a bicycle that is currently being unused, I strongly recommend stopping by RCB, Inc. In order to ease the donation process, the organization also has a regular schedule of visits to festivals and farmers' markets in the Greater Rochester area.