Historical June 1994 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Saturday, May 7, was a special day for the Youth Cycles program.
It marked the completion of the training for the Youth Cycles volunteer Youth Leaders and the graduation of the first class.
The four Youth Leaders each earned used mountain bikes, locks, and helmets for their assistance in the program thus far.
The Youth Leaders are Saundra Busch of 6000 Washington, Brandi and Rivera Fox of 6000 Kingsbury, and Antione Parker of 5900 McPherson.
Each of these young people will continue to train other neighborhood children in bicycle repair, maintenance, and safety.
While they will not be paid, we are looking for special incentives and rewards to demonstrate the neighborhood’s appreciation.
The first class to graduate included Heather Carr, Randall and Justin Falker, and Kenisha Fox.
Each of these young people received a used bicycle, helmet, and lock.
To graduate, they each had to demonstrate key bicycle skills from tire repair to correct hand signaling while riding.
All of the leaders and graduates also donated time to our community by assisting with the food drive, cleaning up Four Corners, and by helping to set up the Youth Cycles office, located in the basement of New Cote Brilliante Church. Future service includes painting at Four Corners, alley clean-ups, and beautification projects.
If any block or neighborhood group needs extra help on their projects, feel free to contact the SDCC office to arrange for youth who need to complete their hours of community service. Skinker DeBaliviere Youth Cycles is really rolling due to the work of Executive Director Kim Koenig and our 1993-94 Washington University Intern Kathy McAlcenan who completed and followed through with a United Way Venture Grant.
This grant allows the program to purchase the locks, helmets, repair equipment, and other supplies needed to begin this program. Of course, we are still counting on neighbors to donate old bicycles and other needed items. Donated items can be picked up; simply call me at 863-3854 or the SDCC office at 862-5122.
A special thanks also goes out to our new neighbor on DeBaliviere, Papa John’s Pizza, for feeding the Youth Cycles participants this spring while they worked and learned. Any youth interested in participating in the Youth Cycles program can pick up an application at the SDCC office at 6008 Kingsbury, 862-5122. Participants will be served on a first come, first served basis.
The program will be running full force from Monday, June 20 to mid-August.
If you have any questions, please call Beth Bender or the SDCC office at the numbers listed above.
Original photograph caption
Youth Cycles participant, Antione Parker, polishes his new wheels. Photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, June 1994.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1994_06.pdf, printed page(s) 1; PDF page(s) 1.
