Give old bikes a new home
By MELISSA DIPENTO
The Cherry Hill Sun
4/30/2011

A group of teachers at Beck Middle School really got their wheels turning when they came up with an idea for a service-learning project they would assign to their students.

The five teachers decided to partner with an organization called Pedals for Progress, to collect and donate used bikes that could be shipped overseas to people who could benefit and appreciate them more than the South Jersey landfills do.

Eighth grade science teacher Jerry Tritt, who is heading up a collection this weekend, said he is excited for students to learn about the benefits and economic impact these bikes can make in the hands of others worldwide.

“It’s an opportunity to provide economic growth to other countries,” Tritt said.

Not only will the bikes serve as a means of sustainable transportation, but as a way to increase and develop the local economy in other countries.

Pedals for Progress speaks to the economic impact the bikes can have worldwide in their mission statement.

“When we can establish a program with an overseas partner, the bicycles take on an even greater significance – to keep the bikes working, maintenance is necessary. Children and adults are trained in bicycle maintenance and repair, and the bicycles are sold within the community, fostering the development of a local economy. If a person would like to have a bicycle but cannot pay for it, that person has to work for the shop and learn a new skill in order to cover the cost of the bicycle.”

The bikes will be sent to Nicaragua, Ghana, Moldova, Uganda, Guatemala, El Salvador and Albania. The organization has shipped nearly 130,000 bikes worldwide to date, Tritt said.

Pedals for Progress also collects and ships sewing machines, which, organizers said, can teach many valuable skills and promote opportunities for building businesses.

Tritt said his students are looking forward to the opportunity to collect bikes and sewing machines at the collection event this Saturday.

Students will be on-hand to help process the donations and provide tax receipts.

Bikes should be in good condition, but will be accepted with flat tires or if in need of some repair. Sewing machines should be in working condition. P4P is asking for a $10 donation with each bike or sewing machine, to help cover the approximate $35 it costs to ship each item overseas.

Tritt said he doesn’t want the required donation to ward off any potential donors. He said the students have been busy selling baked goods and pretzels after school to raise extra funds to cover the shipping costs.

Tritt said the students, lead by Beck’s five-teacher team of Mandy Baker, Felice Livecchi, Cyndi Nieves, Grace Smith and Tritt, have been able to deliver cross-cultural lessons about healthy living and the global economy.

Tritt said students in Baker’s Language Arts class read articles on how to make healthy choices; Smith and Livecchi’s math classes have incorporated calorie calculations and Tritt’s science classes have emphasized growth and development, human biology, and cardiovascular nutrition, he said.

“The cultural aspect; we want kids to begin actively participating to find out what’s the point of sending bikes overseas, where are they going and why we’re interested in doing it,” Tritt said.

To donate a used bike or sewing machine, stop by Beck Middle School, 950 Cropwell Rd., from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 30.

The event will be held rain or shine.

For more information, call Tritt at 424-4505 or email jtritt@chclc.org.