Topics covered in this newsletter:

1. Appreciation
2. 2007 Accomplishments
3. 2008 Prospects and Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
4. Wish List

Bikes for the World's volunteer bookkeeper, Dave Boynton, passed away this past weekend after a short illness.  Dave's unexpected death is a loss to many communities—his immediate family; to Bikes for the World; and to the Langley Hill Friends Meeting, where among many other responsibilities over the years he served as treasurer, clerk of the Peace Committee, and gentle voice of simple truths.  Dave set up Bikes for the World's accounting books in January 2005, kept the books faithfully over the last three years, and served as principal "data enterer" for our mailing list.  He capably steered our finances and advised us on proper classification of income and expenses.  He was a good friend to me and to the Bikes for the World mission.  He was a key factor in making Bikes for the World what it is today.  He will be sorely missed.

--Keith Oberg

<!--[2007 Accomplishments

With more than 7,900 bikes donated overseas and locally during the year, and approximately 1,200 on-hand "ready to go", Bikes for the World is—this year at least—the largest program of this type in the country.   Between March 10 and December 22, we partnered with more than 90 community organizations, local jurisdictions, and bicycle retailers to hold more than 100 discrete collection events.  We expanded pick-ups from local bike shops, apartment buildings, police impound lots, and waste transfer stations, enriching the mix of bikes through "cherry-picking" more desirable mountain bikes.  We signed a five-year lease with the City of Rockville to occupy a 3,000-square-foot barn and a small cottage to house a workshop; initiated the Rockville Youth Bike Project and hired Mike McMillion to manage it; distributed bikes directly to local students (who "earned" them through the Rockville Character Counts Program); and won a contract with the City of Rockville to train local physical education staff in teaching bicycle and pedestrian safety to elementary school students.    

Moreover, during 2007, the Bikes for the World collection methodology was distributed to a growing number of groups across the continent, helping them to increase their "production" and shipments abroad.  In three cases, sister networks in Chicago and Boston channeled three shipments—totaling some 1,400 bikes—to Bikes for the World-identified groups in Panama, Barbados, and Ghana.    

Bikes for the World ended 2007 in partnership with "Wheels to Africa",an effort of 13-year-old Winston Duncan and his mother Dixie Duncan to engage DC area students and their schools in collecting bikes on our behalf, and publicizing the potential of the bicycle for empowering poor people in Africa.  Benefiting from publicity in the Washington Post and on Channel 9, Bikes for the World and Wheels to Africa established a one-day BfW record collecting more than 600 bikes at five sites in the space of four hours on a cold December Saturday.  It was all we could do to get the bikes processed, loaded, and back to and into the storage trailers at Tysons.  Many many thanks to BfW volunteers Craig Annear, Bruce Dwyer, Hellen Gelband, Nick Griffin, Jimmy Hall, Steve Robinson, Jerry Rogers, Phil Ruth, and George Tyler who stayed way beyond the scheduled times on Saturday, or came to clean up on Sunday, and helped us complete a most-challenging task.  600 bikes!  That's more than one container's worth, in a single day!  

Noteworthy is that in 2007, 30 percent, or 2,320 bikes, went to African destinations, also a new record.  Most of these went to three programs in Ghana—the Village Bicycle Project (www.pcei.org/vbp), Shape Lives Foundation, and Asante Akim Multi-Purpose Telecentre.   A first-time shipment went to the Women Prisoners Support Organisation (www.wpsouganda.org) , a program working with women in prison, or upon their departure from prison, and their families.  

In due course, more will be said about the destination of the bikes.

<!--[2008 Prospects and Short-Term Volunteer Opportunities

With more than 1,100 bikes held over from last year, 2008 promises to start quickly.  We were unable to load a final container over the holidays, due to difficulties in obtaining necessary government approvals at the other end (Senegal), and current plans are to attempt a week-day loading at our Tysons VA site on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 8 and 9, beginning at 10 am and going until 4 pm on Tuesday, and until finished on Wednesday.  VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TO LOAD.  No prior experience necessary.  If you can make it, or are interested in learning more, please let us know.

Directions: 1820 Dolley Madison Blvd (Rt 123), McLean VA 22101.  Entrance from Scotts Crossing Rd. 

From MD, take I-495 across the Potomac to left-hand exit 145B ("to I-66/Washington).  Take the next four immediate rights—exit 19A (Rt 123 South), right onto Rt 123 south at end of ramp, right onto Scott's Crossing Road, and right into the parking lot.   

From the south, take I-495 north past Rt 7/Tysons Corner and exit at Rt 123 NORTH.  At second light (Scott's Crossing Road), turn LEFT and then immediately right into the parking lot.  (You will see the trailers from the corner while waiting for the light to change.)

From Arlington, take I-66 to Exit 67 towards Dulles, exit at Rt 123 south, go to second light and turn RIGHT onto Scott's Crossing, then right into the parking lot.  Piece of cake.

__________

Although Bikes for the World expects to continue collecting and shipping thousands of bikes, we recognize the need to do more than what a small group can do alone.  Working with others to expand the universe of people and institutions collecting bicycles for reuse overseas—and familiarizing Americans with the concept of donating a bike to help someone in a developing country—is an important part of our work.  To grow, we need to change.  We are talking with potential regional and national partners, whose results hold promise for empowering other communities, organizations, and bike industry entities to collect and ship thousands more bikes, or contribute in other ways.  2008 promises to be a breakthrough year.  Stay tuned for more specifics.

<!--[Wish List

Please help us recruit a bookkeeper.  Must be knowledgeable of Quickbooks and Microsoft Access.  Requires an average of four hours weekly.  Excellent opportunity for someone to work out of his/her home or office.  Salary negotiable.  Begins immediately.  Arlington-Falls Church location preferred. For information, write This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Also wanted: volunteers to accept donations of bikes dropped off at their homes, or able to pick up bikes from offerors unable to transport bikes.  Work would consist of receiving/picking up bikes, making out receipts and providing BfW brochures, and working with Keith to get bikes to our Rockville or Northern VA storage sites.  Need is particularly great in northern Montgomery County and Prince Georges County.