Summer Earn-A-Bikes

Thanks for a Great Summer!

A goofy picture on graduation day (Earn-A-Bike Session 1).

Thank you to everyone who helped make this summer fun and productive. There are lots of people in Falmouth that know a lot more about bikes now!

Students get ready to practice their
riding skills in the back parking lot.

Hello everyone! We have been very busy here at the Bike Lab getting ready for our Fall Earn-A-Bike sessions, so busy in fact, I forgot to post about our amazing summer. This summer featured the first official Earn-A-Bike programs and we had a great time. During our 3 separate week-long programs, 24 youth learned maintenance skills like fixing a flat tire, repairing a broken chain, adjusting brakes, replacing cables, and lots of other useful skills for repairing a bicycle. They also learned how to ride their bikes more effectively. We practiced Rules of the Road in relation to stop signs, four way stops, turning, signaling, and riding in traffic as well as practicing emergency maneuvers. All of our students worked hard and gained a lot of valuable experience both on and off the bike, including a group ride into Woods Hole and back. And they all worked hard to fix up a bicycle that they either took home or donated back to the Bike Lab to be used in our future programs. Thank you students!

The winner of the "Spirit of the Bike Lab" collects
his graduation certificate.

We would also like to thank our many volunteers that made this happen. Some people even took vacation time off of work to hang out with us and help us teach people about the power of bikes. They were patient, helpful, kind, encouraging and an absolute joy to work with. Thank you volunteers, you make all of this possible!

Join us this fall for more great programs including: Earn-A-Bike, Bicycle Video Production, Girl Scout Bike Lab Badge, Boy Scout Cycling Merit Badge, Open Shops, and Adult Education Programs.

July VotM

Congratulations to July’s Volunteers of the Month: 

Iz and Milo!

Milo and Iz are two of the FBL’s most dedicated youth volunteers. This summer they both participated in an Earn-A-Bike session and then volunteered for yet another week-long session, helping other kids fix and build their bikes. Milo earned a red bike, to which he has added a bell, big horn, and rearview mirror. Iz earned a pinkish-purple bike, which was in pretty good shape to start with except for the brakes.

Milo learned how to ride a bike in the back parking lot of JWUMC, and it is still one of his favorite places to ride. He likes to create fun courses across the parking lot and off-roading in the grass and gravel too. He also likes to ride his bike along the bike path down to Woods Hole with his family. When Milo isn’t busy helping other kids at the FBL, he enjoys karate and origami. He is ten years old and just started 5^th grade at Morse Pond School.

Iz is also ten years old and in 5^th grade at Morse Pond. She learned how to ride a bike in a cemetery near her house, and she also likes to ride along the Shining Sea Bike Path. In her spare time, Iz enjoys reading, math, and arts and crafts.

Thank you so much to both Milo and Iz for their hard work and volunteering for the FBL this summer!