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WashCo Bikes in Hillsboro is all about biking training and advocacy. This week, the neighborhood they serve had an opportunity to assist after somebody stole a donated e-bike.
HILLSBORO, Ore. — WashCo Bikes is a 501(c)(3) non-profit group with a mission to make bicycling higher via training, advocacy and getting bikes out on the street to the neighborhood.
“Although we will’t bodily attain out to one another proper now within the pandemic, we will attain out and proceed to construct neighborhood, and that’s what we’re about at WashCo Bikes,” mentioned director Joe Kurmaskie. “We do 1000’s of bikes in right here a yr … near a thousand bikes this yr even with the pandemic.”
The crew takes in outdated bikes to construct them again up or to strip them for components.
“We ‘Frankenstein’ them again collectively and make them prepared and secure for the general public to purchase at 30-70% off,” Kurmaskie mentioned.
Even with a pandemic that’s made them shift gears, the store’s wheels are nonetheless turning.
“And that’s an excellent factor,” Joe mentioned. “We’ve type of met that problem, I’ve employed employees … and that’s why this break-in was heartbreaking.”
On Monday night time, somebody strolling by broke the glass on one of many doorways, ducked in and left with a newly-donated electrical bike that was simply contained in the door.
“He knew that $2,000 bike was sitting proper there, wheeled it out, and identical to all our plans in 2020, gone, child, gone,” Kurmaskie smiled.
Between the stolen bike, safety upgrades and the insurance coverage deductible to cowl the injury, WashCo is out about $6,000. However because of the neighborhood, donations have been rolling in. The door is mounted, about $4,200 have been raised as of Thursday afternoon – even Nike is donating two model new electrical bikes.
“It’s simply stuff, individuals stepping up and taking good care of one another is the actual story right here,” mentioned Kurmaskie.
For Joe, it’s clearly concerning the children and households they serve. He’s grateful for the items that’ll assist preserve prospects driving via tough instances.
“You already know, typically the world doesn’t maintain you in its brace,” Joe mentioned. “However we will maintain one another up.”
If you need to donate to WashCo Bikes, you can do so here.
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