The Oshkosh Community Bike Program

The Oshkosh Community Bike program recycles bikes to providing transportation for those in need. Abandoned bicycles come from from Oshkosh Police Department, and donated bikes come from the community. The program gives bikes to youth and adults in the community who cannot afford to purchase a bicycle on their own. The bikes provide transportation to those in need for schooling, employment, those seeking employment, employment training and daily activities to help improve their quality of life.

Members of the Oshkosh Cycling Club, the Oshkosh Senior Center Bike Club and other volunteers will then refurbish and repair the bikes. The program is partnering with area human service agencies that will provide referrals and vouchers to the program for clients to receive a bike. Other partnerships and collaborations are in the works.

The Oshkosh Community Bike Program has received a Community Impact grant that providing start up funds to purchase tools and equipment to get the program up and running. In addition to providing a bike for youth and adults, The OCBP is providing bike registration, a bike helmet and a bike lock to each bike recipient. Estimated costs are $30 to $45 for each bike recipient in addition to any costs per bike for repairs. Kitz & Pfiel has donated workspace and store front, and AAA Mini Storage provides storage space for the program. The OCBP has partnered with the area bike shops, Wheel & Sprocket, Oshkosh Cycle ry & Fitness, and Bike Outlet to serve as drop off sites for donated bikes and helmets. If you want to donate a bike and want it picked up, call 920-410-0308 or email to ocbp.winr@tds.net. Cash donations can be sent to the Oshkosh Community Bike Program P.O. Box 144 Oshkosh, WI 54903.

Down the road, the program hopes to create a helmet exchange program, to create an after school program, to teach bike maintenance to youth and adults, to create bike mentoring programs, to create an earn a bike program, to provide time for youth and adults to do maintenance on their own bikes, to partner with bike clubs as meeting place, to promote bike racks at businesses, to work with the bike and pedestrian plan, to help with the Safe Routes to School program, to create a bike around town program, and to promote safe bike riding.

For more information or a presentation on the Oshkosh Community Bike Program check out WINR. On Facebook, Twitter and YouTube or contact Steve Sagmeister, OCBP Director at 920-410-0308 or email ocbp.winr@tds.net.