Troy Bike Rescue

It’s been a big year for Troy Bike Rescue. We became official in the eyes of the government, held a fundraising party, moved our workshop space, did our first summer youth program, and much more. TBR’s growth is part of developments that are much bigger than us, and much more significant than a simple newsletter can convey. As economic times become more dire, climate issues more apparent, and natural resources more scarce, peoples movements around the world struggle to cast off the chains of economic oppression and stand in the way of environmental devastation. Each of us must decide if we stand on the side of the problem or the solution. TBR believes that humans must adopt principles of radical sustain- ability immediately, such as urban food production, composting, alternative transportation, human-powered machines, and small scale energy production. Whether it’s on our block or on the planet, we are com- mitted to being part of the solution Thanks to everyone who has made it possible!!

501(c)3 Status
In May of this year, we got official word that the IRS had approved our application to become recognized as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. TBRs ‘status’ has always been first and fore- most a dedicated band of bike people bent on spreading bike love and building bike culture through hands-on education, but the federal recognition will help with fundraising, and getting people to take what we do seriously. We are serious!

The Wheelhouse
If you have visited TBR this summer, then you know The Wheelhouse. If you’re a bit out of the loop then you should know that we have moved to a new home in North Troy. The building was initially bought from the City of Troy by two collective members in early 2011. We worked hard to bring the building up to code and were able to start working out of there by June. Just recently in mid-December, the building was officially bought by Troy Bike Rescue, Inc., thanks to a loan from the Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region. As of December 2011, further renova- tions are underway in anticipation of an even better shop space in the spring. The Wheelhouse is located at 3280 6th Avenue in North Troy.    Get in touch if you’re interested in helping!

First Annual Fundraiser
May 28, 2011 was our first annual fundraiser which included an amazing dinner, a silent arts and crafts auction, and a kids bike rodeo. We raised around $4000 and had a great celebration at The Sanctuary for Independent Media that brought out our wonderful community of supporters. As with everything we do, it would not have been possible without the help of many volunteers who care a lot about TBR. Thank You! It’s called the First Annual, because we will make it even better in 2012!

Uptown Summer
TBR received a small Weed & Seed grant for youth summer programming. We regranted the money equally among our partners in North Troy, The Missing Link Street Ministry, Youth Me- dia Sanctuary, and Collard City Growers who all do amazing work. Together, we created a pilot program called Uptown Summer for young people from the neighborhood. Uptown Summer is on-site experience in gardening, composting, recycling bikes, snack-making, safe bike rides, and digital storytelling. It represents a collaborative grassroots rebirth for a neglected part of town. This is community development from the ground up, and it’s just the beginning!

Travelling Reunion
For the second year in a row, the TBR collective embarked on a multi-day bike tour. This time we went to the coast of Maine and back passing through Vermont, New Hampshire, and Mas- sachussets. We pedalled about 4 days each way, camped in all kinds of places, cooked our own food, and made friends along the way. The annual TBR reunion is a team-building adventure in human-powered travel. You might think about joining us next summer!

TBR is a Troy Treasure!
We were proud to be named this year’s Troy Treasure by the Troy Rehabilitation & Improve- ment Program. “Started in 2005, TRIP awards an individual, group, or business who is passion- ately committed to improving Troy, toils in his or her neighborhood out of a love of commu- nity, and demonstrates his or her hometown pride in Troy in very positive and real ways.” It is truly an honor to hold this title and for our work to have been recognized.

Greetings website visitors!  If you are here, you are probably wondering if we are open for the winter. Answer: Yes & No.  We are reducing our hours and shop operations pretty seriously for two reasons... 1) our space is not currently heated, so we will just have a small area open to do necessary repairs and service bikes that come in with winter riders. 2) we are focusing much of our volunteer energy on some much needed renovations of our building, so that we can be more open next winter.

Winter Hours are as follows (starting Dec. 5th):  Mondays ONLY 5-8pm

If you are interested in volunteering for TBR to help with building work, please contact Andrew at breathingplanet AT gmail.com or watch our facebook page for updates on work parties.

PS. Don't let a little cold weather keep you from riding to work or play!  Remember there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing. 

Troy Bike Rescue is very happy share that we have been awarded the Troy Treasure Award by TRIP ( Troy Rehabilitation & Improvement Program).  We will be honored and presented the award at a dinner on October 24.  We are thankful and grateful to our many volunteers, donors, and supporters.  There are simply too many to list, but you know who you are!  Keep up
the good work and share your bike love through the winter months!
Here's a quick announcement from The Record about the event.

P.S.
If you havent been down to the Occupy Albany site in Academy Park yet, we
recommend it.  Numerous TBR volunteers have been helping to occupy, and yes, we are all part of the 99%.   The occupation is 4 days in and the spirits are strong.  The tent city sits a stones throw from City Hall and the State Capitol in Albany and is bound to have an impact.  As for our part, TBR will be
facilitating the set up of a 'peoples bike shop' and continue to support in whatever ways possible.   http://occupyalbany.org

It has been a busy summer for us.  We are filling up the Wheelhouse (our new home in North Troy) with bicycle love and it is beginning to overflow on to the streets of North Central.  However, its somehow feels strange that as the shit seems to be really hitting hard this week around the world, we are busy celebrating a successful summer and carrying on.  Famine, Police Brutality, Monsanto, Factory Farms, Tar Sands, Mountain Top Removal, Nuclear Energy, Fracking, Unemployment, Unjust War!  What a mess!  It's pretty overwhelming, really.  

Anyways, here's some things that we have been up to:

Back from Maine Bike tour
TBR is back from summer bike tour. 15 people took a bike trip to the Maine coast and back. There was adventure.  Andrew blogged some about it here: Andrew blogged about it some here,
and there is a short video up too

Metroland Article
Thanks to Ali Hibbs for the great Metroland piece!  Ali came to the shop and hung out with kids and adults and got a real feel for TBR... the article shows it.  You can check it out here: You can check it out here.

Youth Shop & Bike Ride
Our Uptown Summer collaboration with Collard City Growers, the Sanctuary, Ellie Markovitch, and the Missing Link Street Ministry is officially over after a 6-week pilot program.  All the groups hope to work together again next summer to make it even better.  Check out video from our culminating bike ride on 8/8.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1CcO4bcw4Q

Youth Shop (ages 10-15) will continue for now on Mondays 3-5 pm.

U P C O M I N G...

August 20: Upcycling!
There will be an upcycling workshop on Saturday August 20th.  Learn to use old tires, tubes, and bike parts that would otherwise be scrapped to make amazing creations.  The workshop will be lead by Mae Yaul, and other crafty people are encouraged to bring ideas.

Mae models an intricate headband made entirely from tubes and thread  (right) .               

August 23: Wheeling Workshop #1
Wheel Workshops are every other Tuesday: 8/23, 9/6, 9/20
The first session will be about spoke stuff and truing, providing a one one a few access to hands on experience with learning some of the basics with wheels and some other basic bicycle maintenance. Please rsvp by emailing dylan [dot] thies [at] gmail [dot] com or on facebook.

August 27: Volunteer Orientation
We are having a volunteer orientation on Saturday August 27 from 2-4pm for new and old volunteers.  Come learn how TBR works and and where stuff goes in the shop!  After the orientation there will be a General Wheelhouse Workparty, working on adoption bikes, organizing, and building.

note..
Organized workshops are first come first serve and there will be a cap of 6 or so participants. Please RSVP. As always, TBR kindly suggests a donation to support our ongoing community bike work.

HOURS & SERVICES
Troy Bike Rescue is a community bike shop. We offer hands-on bicycle education, affordable used bike sales, used parts and do-it-yourself workshop.  Open shop hours: M & W 5-8pm

Summer is on... Uptown Summer, that is....
We are super-excited to be part of a new collaborative grassroots revitalization project called Uptown Summer. It's a group effort on the part of Troy Bike Rescue, Collard City Growers, Missing Link Street Ministry and Youth Media Sanctuary.  TBR is doing youth 'Learn & Earn' programming on Mondays and Wednesday afternoons, Collard City Growers is active Monday through Thursdays from 12-5pm as a place for young people to work a new garden (see below), the Missing Link has opened up their kitchen for DIY snack workshops created by Ellie Markovitch and Amy Halloran, and Youth Media Sanctuary is documenting it all for a short video that will be created in the fall.   Uptown Summer is an effort of these four community groups to come together and create programming and safe spaces for youth in a neighborhood that has endured years of neglect.  It is the face of positive change that really coming from the ground up.... and next year will be even better!  Check out this awesome video that explains it all...

What's Collard City Growers?
CCG is particularly exciting development on our block.  It's a youth-led gardening project that is giving kids a place to go, get there hands dirty and actually turn what was a vacant lot into an active food-producing garden.  This is a community garden, but not the kind where each person has there own plot... It is a unified garden made by the hands of youth from the North Troy community.  [Left: Ellie teaches a DIY snackshop right on the CCG garden lot!  Below: Soil workshop with local guru, David Yarrow]

Freedom Square
as part of Uptown Summer's activities, The Sanctuary for Independent Media, put on a killer music show on July 2 which featured local rockers Sumac, 518  hip-hoppers, S.K.A.T.E., the Missing Link Mens Chorus, and DeboBand - and Ethiopian funk influenced band from Boston.  TBR set up a mobile bike clinic, there was a free food BBQ, and potluck, and it was an AMAZING manifestation of love and the desire for change in the face of adversity and oppression.  Long Live Freedom Square! There is already talk of outdoor movie nights, and more events that reclaim this deserted lot for local residents and visitors alike.

TBR Travelling Reunion -- Troy to Coast!
Lastly, the week of July 11-15 is reunion time for TBR.  Except for us, reunions might not be what you think.  Rather than parties under tents with long lost family members, TBR reunions are bicycle camping adventures over long distances with fellow bike-maniacs.  Last year an annual tradition was launched with our bike trip to and from Toronto, and to keep the tradition alive, the TBR volunteer community is going on a bike trip... to the Maine Coast and back.  We leave the morning of July 9th on an unsupported bike ride over mountains and valleys to the ocean!  There are about 15 of us, and we are busy preparing our bikes, bodies, and minds for what promises to be an adventure for all.  This means that the shop will be closed for the week of July 9-15.  Apologies to any patrons affected by this.  Don't worry we'll be right back!

What's new with us?  A lot!  We have officially moved into our new home, The Wheelhouse, at 3280 6th avenue in North Troy, and had our first week of open shops this past week.  Our fundraiser on May 28th at The Sanctuary for Independent Media was a great success.  Plus, we have a new "youth hours" initiative on the way...

THE WHEELHOUSE
Our new home is a big improvement for us!  It's the simple things, like a display rack for adoption bikes, a couch for hanging out and waiting, a greeters desk where people can check in & out, and individual tool boxes that go with each stand that make it work better already.  We are still getting organized (and can always use help), but it is exciting!!

THE FUNDRASIER
HUGE thanks go out to all the people who helped make our fundraiser a success.  This means the people who cooked the food, the artists who donated amazing artworks to the auction, the volunteers who coordinated all aspects of the activities from the kids bike rodeo to the art auction, to the music.  It also means big thanks to YOU ALL, who came out and supported with your words and wallets.  THANK YOU! THANK YOU! & Congratulatins to all the winners of cool stuff!

NEW BIKE ADOPTION GUIDELINES
What is the FAQ at TBR?  The answer to this is hands down, "How do I get a bike???"  We have finally revamped our adoption guidelines and have gotten it all together in writing as clearly as possible.  You can check it out here Flyers will also be available.

YOUTH SHOP HOURS
One thing we have noticed immediately at our new shop, is that our new neighborhood has a lot of kids who want or need a place to be.  Some of them want to be working at TBR!  So, we are going to be opening the shop early (3-5pm) specifically for youth, ages 10-16.  

STORAGE LOCATION NEEDED
For the past year and a half, Paul Cregut has very graciously donated the use of a big schoolhouse that he owns in Watervliet.  This has been an AMAZING asset to us, however renovation work is beginning there soon, and we need to find a new location.  We are seeking a vacant building to house extra bikes ASAP.  please contact us if you have any leads.

Our NEW ADDRESS IS 3280 6TH AVE.  Today (Monday June 6) is the first Open shop in the new space!!!!

 HUGE thank yous to all those who came out and supported at our recent fundraiser.  It was a blast, and  the proceeds will most certainly help us through the summer with the expenses of our new home.

No ridiculous car trips from Martin Lang on Vimeo.