Looking to find a good home for your old bike?
Langley’s Mike Kirk may be able to help you find one. He collects old or unused bicycles from Fraser Valley communities and sends them to people all over the world who can make good use of them.
Kirk is the founder of the Fraser Valley chapter of Bicycles for Humanity, an organization that coordinates with community groups in Colombia, Namibia, Lesotho, South Africa and Uganda to provide bikes to doctors, students, farmers and tradespeople.
Kirk has collected nearly 340 bikes since he started volunteering for Bicycles for Humanity in 2014.
“The purpose of the organization really resonated with me,” said Kirk. “The momentum it gives to healthcare, education and the economy in general is really incredible.”
By working with the organization’s Whistler chapter, Kirk has sent bikes to Colombia and Lesotho and recently he gave around 60 bikes to a group in North Vancouver that sent a container of bikes to Namibia.
Mike Kirk’s last fundraiser collected 140 bikes for Bicycles for Humanity.
“I feel this is an organization that really helps,” said Kirk. “I also feel it’s important for my two kids to see me go and make change and set a positive example for them.”
According to Kirk, Bicycles for Humanity has more than 60 chapters and has donated more than 140,000 bikes since its creation in 2005.
Kirk’s next bicycle drive will collect bikes for a community group in South Africa. The fundraiser will take place on Saturday, March 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Langley Events Centre.
Any bike suitable for a person 10 years of age or older is welcomed, as well as donations of money, as the cost of the container and shipping will amount to around $10,000.
For more information on Bicycles for Humanity, visit: http://www.bicycles-for-humanity.org.