On behalf of all of the Bicycles for Humanity family globally, we
wish each and everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy
Hanukkah and all the best for 2008. 2007 was an amazing year,
containers were sent to Namibia from Thunder Bay, Brampton, Cambridge,
Ottawa and Manchester, UK. During 2007 new B4H Chapters were
organized in Denver, Guelph, Edmonton, Boston and Melbourne Australia.
Michael Linke and the team at BEN, Bicycle Empowerment Network did an
incredible job organizing and distributing the containers or BEC's,
Bicycle Empowerment Centres to many communities in Namibia and the
impact on Aids education, drug delivery and hospice care meant that
the average care giver could visit and help 4 to 5 times as many
people.
In Uganda, a rural health program in the Community of Kigezi will
receive 2 BEC's this year thanks to the efforts of Joseph Agoada and
the corporate support of MTN, the leading cellular company in Uganda.
Kelly and the team in Whistler are loading a container now to be sent
to Tsumeb where they visited in 2007 and the home of the first
container shipped by the students in Vancouver. This year Scott and
the students of Rockcreek will be organizing another BEC to be sent
to Namibia.
2008 is shaping up to be an exciting year with a lot of
interesting programs. CAA, Catholic Action Aids, www.caa.org.na as
a grassroots organization did more to change the face of fighting
Aids than almost any group globally. In 2007 we provided this
organization with 2 containers of bikes and in 2008 they could
desperately use 10 containers alone for their aids efforts. Early
next year, we will be approaching all Catholic church's, schools and
Knights of Columbus groups across North America to help B4H chapters
and many other terrific bike collection groups in North America
make this happen.
This initiative coupled with the Kigezi initiative in Uganda will
have established a model for rural health care and the value of a
bicycle in bringing about change. If you are interested in helping
out or you know of a group that might be interested in supporting
the efforts of the global, Bicycles for Humanity team, please have
them contact one of our team members in your contact area, listed on
our website.
Thanks again to everyone that helped in 2007 and all the best this
Christmas, Hanukkah season.
Humanity Rocks
The Bicycles for Humanity Team
www.bicycles-for-humanity.org
Monday, December 24, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
Wow, what a year
in one year make a difference in helping fight Aids and Poverty in Africa. Together with Michael Linke and BEN , Bicycle Empowerment Network, we achieved that goal and in so doing created 7 strong and very active B4H Chapters. All who came together, collected the bikes, raised the monies and helped make the world just a bit better should be very proud of their efforts. 2 weeks ago, the last container for this year left from Cambridge, Ontario, making the number for the year 8, with many more in the works for next year.
I'm so proud of all that everyone has accomplished and I hope that everyone stays with the program for next year. Exciting projects are developing in Uganda and it is my wish that things continue to grow in Namibia and in other countries in Africa. For me, well, it's time to take a rest and think about what I want to do and goals for 2008.
I encourage each and every B4H chapter, all involved and the groups in Africa who are putting the bikes to good use to think about their goals and dreams for next year as well. Grassroots is exactly that, no individual or group has the power, no individual or group has the say and no individual or group can make decisions for the other groups. This allows each group the freedom and creativity to do exactly what they want and to support what they feel is important.
Bicycles for Humanity is a vehicle that if it helps get more bikes to those in need no matter who's project it is or where it is in africa, it has served it's purpose
My dream is that Bicycles for Humanity continue to be an enabler and to help get more bikes to Africa to support health care workers, students and families that are in dire need of mobility. Thanks again to all who gave so much, your efforts and the ripple effect of these actions will last forever and it is my dream that all will find their way in 2008 and find projects worthy of your support.
Thanks, Humanity Rocks
Pat
I'm so proud of all that everyone has accomplished and I hope that everyone stays with the program for next year. Exciting projects are developing in Uganda and it is my wish that things continue to grow in Namibia and in other countries in Africa. For me, well, it's time to take a rest and think about what I want to do and goals for 2008.
I encourage each and every B4H chapter, all involved and the groups in Africa who are putting the bikes to good use to think about their goals and dreams for next year as well. Grassroots is exactly that, no individual or group has the power, no individual or group has the say and no individual or group can make decisions for the other groups. This allows each group the freedom and creativity to do exactly what they want and to support what they feel is important.
Bicycles for Humanity is a vehicle that if it helps get more bikes to those in need no matter who's project it is or where it is in africa, it has served it's purpose
My dream is that Bicycles for Humanity continue to be an enabler and to help get more bikes to Africa to support health care workers, students and families that are in dire need of mobility. Thanks again to all who gave so much, your efforts and the ripple effect of these actions will last forever and it is my dream that all will find their way in 2008 and find projects worthy of your support.
Thanks, Humanity Rocks
Pat
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
The Ottawa collection was a huge success
Last Saturday, September 29th, Seb, Sandra and the team in Ottawa held their first bike collection and it was a huge success. All day long bikes trickled in and by 3pm, the container was full, the doors closed and time to celebrate an incredible achievement. Seb, Sandra on behalf of all of us in the Bicycles for Humanity Family globally, we thank you and I know the people of Namibia will be greatly appreciative in a few months.
Pat
Pat
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Where have all the BEC's gone
It’s September, the children are back to school and things are picking up again for B4H. Bikes were sent to Namibia, bikes are being collected, fundraising initiatives are underway in many communities and thought I would take a moment and share with everyone some of the things going on.
The Humanity Painting
We are continually getting inquiries about the “Humanity Prints” by Liz Woodside. The original acrylic painting of "Bicycles for Humanity" (40" X 66") was moved August 21 / 2007 from where it was hanging at Kelowna's Rotary Centre for the Arts to the Kelowna Art Gallery, where it will be in a show (August 31 - November 11 2007) displaying work of artist who teach art classes at the gallery. Liz Woodside has been teaching water colour and calligraphy classes there for the past 3 years.
Ottawa
This Friday, September 14th in Ottawa, Seb, Sandra and the team are organizing a Humanity Rocks Concert, please pass this email on to all of your friends in the Ottawa area, it will be a terrific event and all monies go towards sending the Ottawa BEC to Namibia, details can be found at http://www.bicycles-for-humanity.org/Ottawa/HR_Benefit_Concert.php
Cambridge
Bob, Bronwyn and the team in Cambridge have done a terrific job pulling together a B4H team and the collection of bikes will be at Southwood School, October 19th and 20th.
Whistler
The container has arrived, fundraising is underway and all is underway for a mid October collection. Kelly and the team have done an outstanding job, fundraising is never easy, but they like Bob, Seb and all the other members of the B4H family are having fun, being very creative and making it happen
Thunder Bay and St Bartholomews
Earlier this year, Steve and the great team in Thunder Bay and Rev. Maureen, Terry and the team at St Barts collected 5 containers of bikes. They have been shipped, many have arrived in Namibia and Michael and the team at BEN have been working long hours to organize and move the BEC’s to their homes.
Namibia
I received an email from Michael this morning and it got me thinking. Everyone here in North America and the UK are working hard to raise the funds, collect the bikes and get them moving to Namibia. Michael and Clarisse are expecting their first child this month and with all that is going on, they continue to train and move bikes to their new homes to help many in communities across Namibia. The small acts of kindness shown by all in every community here will have a long lasting impact on many globally.
A brief run down of what has happened and is happening.
The first BEC’s shipped were delivered to Windhoek and the village of Okathitu in Northern Namibia, run by Anglican HIV/AIDS home based care group.
The BEC collected by Scott, Phil and the students of Rockcreek and Rockridge Schools was delivered to the town of Tsumeb, run by TOV, orphan and vulnerable children support group. The Whistler BEC is going to the same community. Kelly and 10 members of our community visited Tsumeb in may of this year.
The Thunder Bay first BEC is in Windhoek, where Michael and BEN are trying to fund two projects to get them to Katima Mulilo and one to get them to HIV/AIDS home based care volunteers with the Mapilelo project.
St Barts BEC 1: in Windhoek. To be delivered to TKMOAMS a HIV/AIDS home based care organisation with 700 volunteers across 3 northern regions. Small business/project management training starts next week, and mechanic training the week after.
St Barts BEC 2: Arrives Windhoek around 17 Sept. To be delivered to the Disability Economic Empowerment Project (DEEP), a group of people with disabilities who will be providing bikes to volunteers providing bikes to home based care volunteers. Small business/project management training starts next week, and mechanic training the week after.
St Barts BEC 3: Arrives Windhoek around 17 Sept. To be delivered to
Family Hope Sanctuary, a children's support group that builds the
capacity of extended families to care for orphans and vulnerable
children, runs a kindergarten, after school support, food garden and feeding program. Two training programs are currently under way inWindhoek for this group: one in bicycle mechanics and one in small business/project management (stock control, marketing, book keeping etc).
Rotary Bramhall/Woodford (David Dewhurst) will be shipping their
container in November, and it will be delivered to the village of
Okalongo, to be run by volunteers from Catholic Aids Action.
The Cambridge BEC will be loaded later this year and delivered to Lifeline Childline in the town of Ondangwa. This group trains volunteer counsellors who support orphans and adults in coming to terms with the effects of HIV/AIDS, and encourages people to have HIV tests.
The Ottawa BEC will be delivered to House of Love for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Rundu.
I know this is a very long update and I apologize, but I thought I would take a moment and share this with everyone. The efforts of all in every community will forever change the lives of many in Namibia and hopefully soon other African Countries. It’s a simple old bike, but mobility is one of the keys to a better life and to help with healthcare.
Humanity, Rocks
Pat
"A bicycle is the best tool for fighting aids and poverty in Africa"
www.bicycles-for-humanity.org
The Humanity Painting
We are continually getting inquiries about the “Humanity Prints” by Liz Woodside. The original acrylic painting of "Bicycles for Humanity" (40" X 66") was moved August 21 / 2007 from where it was hanging at Kelowna's Rotary Centre for the Arts to the Kelowna Art Gallery, where it will be in a show (August 31 - November 11 2007) displaying work of artist who teach art classes at the gallery. Liz Woodside has been teaching water colour and calligraphy classes there for the past 3 years.
Ottawa
This Friday, September 14th in Ottawa, Seb, Sandra and the team are organizing a Humanity Rocks Concert, please pass this email on to all of your friends in the Ottawa area, it will be a terrific event and all monies go towards sending the Ottawa BEC to Namibia, details can be found at http://www.bicycles-for-humanity.org/Ottawa/HR_Benefit_Concert.php
Cambridge
Bob, Bronwyn and the team in Cambridge have done a terrific job pulling together a B4H team and the collection of bikes will be at Southwood School, October 19th and 20th.
Whistler
The container has arrived, fundraising is underway and all is underway for a mid October collection. Kelly and the team have done an outstanding job, fundraising is never easy, but they like Bob, Seb and all the other members of the B4H family are having fun, being very creative and making it happen
Thunder Bay and St Bartholomews
Earlier this year, Steve and the great team in Thunder Bay and Rev. Maureen, Terry and the team at St Barts collected 5 containers of bikes. They have been shipped, many have arrived in Namibia and Michael and the team at BEN have been working long hours to organize and move the BEC’s to their homes.
Namibia
I received an email from Michael this morning and it got me thinking. Everyone here in North America and the UK are working hard to raise the funds, collect the bikes and get them moving to Namibia. Michael and Clarisse are expecting their first child this month and with all that is going on, they continue to train and move bikes to their new homes to help many in communities across Namibia. The small acts of kindness shown by all in every community here will have a long lasting impact on many globally.
A brief run down of what has happened and is happening.
The first BEC’s shipped were delivered to Windhoek and the village of Okathitu in Northern Namibia, run by Anglican HIV/AIDS home based care group.
The BEC collected by Scott, Phil and the students of Rockcreek and Rockridge Schools was delivered to the town of Tsumeb, run by TOV, orphan and vulnerable children support group. The Whistler BEC is going to the same community. Kelly and 10 members of our community visited Tsumeb in may of this year.
The Thunder Bay first BEC is in Windhoek, where Michael and BEN are trying to fund two projects to get them to Katima Mulilo and one to get them to HIV/AIDS home based care volunteers with the Mapilelo project.
St Barts BEC 1: in Windhoek. To be delivered to TKMOAMS a HIV/AIDS home based care organisation with 700 volunteers across 3 northern regions. Small business/project management training starts next week, and mechanic training the week after.
St Barts BEC 2: Arrives Windhoek around 17 Sept. To be delivered to the Disability Economic Empowerment Project (DEEP), a group of people with disabilities who will be providing bikes to volunteers providing bikes to home based care volunteers. Small business/project management training starts next week, and mechanic training the week after.
St Barts BEC 3: Arrives Windhoek around 17 Sept. To be delivered to
Family Hope Sanctuary, a children's support group that builds the
capacity of extended families to care for orphans and vulnerable
children, runs a kindergarten, after school support, food garden and feeding program. Two training programs are currently under way inWindhoek for this group: one in bicycle mechanics and one in small business/project management (stock control, marketing, book keeping etc).
Rotary Bramhall/Woodford (David Dewhurst) will be shipping their
container in November, and it will be delivered to the village of
Okalongo, to be run by volunteers from Catholic Aids Action.
The Cambridge BEC will be loaded later this year and delivered to Lifeline Childline in the town of Ondangwa. This group trains volunteer counsellors who support orphans and adults in coming to terms with the effects of HIV/AIDS, and encourages people to have HIV tests.
The Ottawa BEC will be delivered to House of Love for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Rundu.
I know this is a very long update and I apologize, but I thought I would take a moment and share this with everyone. The efforts of all in every community will forever change the lives of many in Namibia and hopefully soon other African Countries. It’s a simple old bike, but mobility is one of the keys to a better life and to help with healthcare.
Humanity, Rocks
Pat
"A bicycle is the best tool for fighting aids and poverty in Africa"
www.bicycles-for-humanity.org
Monday, September 10, 2007
Sept 9. 2007 Update
Hi All
It's been a hectic summer and I'm finally back in Whistler. things are going very well at Bicycles for Humanity. Our grassroots initiative is gaining traction and growing globally. Many people and individuals are very interested, primarily due to the high degree of accountability here and in Africa.
This fall is very busy with Ottawa, Cambridge and Whistler organizing collection in late September and early October. Please support these initiatives.
thanks
Pat
It's been a hectic summer and I'm finally back in Whistler. things are going very well at Bicycles for Humanity. Our grassroots initiative is gaining traction and growing globally. Many people and individuals are very interested, primarily due to the high degree of accountability here and in Africa.
This fall is very busy with Ottawa, Cambridge and Whistler organizing collection in late September and early October. Please support these initiatives.
thanks
Pat
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Need help in Kelowna
Last year, with the help of many of you, we organized and send 3 containers of bikes to Africa. Since that time, Bicycles for Humanity has encouraged and worked with many individuals and groups across Canada start B4H Chapters, partner with communities in Africa and send bikes. Groups are now in place in Vancouver, Thunder Bay, Brampton, Ottawa and Cambridge and many more communities are exploring establishing grassroots groups.
All of this started in Kelowna and we hope that it continues this year. My role in working with groups and the partners in Africa has become a full time job it leaves me no time to organize a bike collection in Kelowna. I'm keen to help, there are a lot of people who want to volunteer and donate bikes, but the responsibility for fundraising and organizing volunteers is more than I can handle right now and I need help. If any individual, group or church is interested in organizing a B4H chapter or in helping raise the funds needed, to send a container, about $7500, please let me know. I cannot manage it on my own this year, with all that is going on. It is my hope that we have a bike collection in Kelowna this summer, but without help and someone to organize and take the lead, it will be hard to make it happen.
Thanks to all who supported it last year, we have $850 already raised towards Kelowna and a further $1500 from Rotary when my home in Whistler is rented this summer, leaving us about $5,000 short and no team in place to push it over the top. if you or anyone you knows feel that this is a use full project in Kelowna, please let me know
Thanks, Humanity Rocks
Pat
All of this started in Kelowna and we hope that it continues this year. My role in working with groups and the partners in Africa has become a full time job it leaves me no time to organize a bike collection in Kelowna. I'm keen to help, there are a lot of people who want to volunteer and donate bikes, but the responsibility for fundraising and organizing volunteers is more than I can handle right now and I need help. If any individual, group or church is interested in organizing a B4H chapter or in helping raise the funds needed, to send a container, about $7500, please let me know. I cannot manage it on my own this year, with all that is going on. It is my hope that we have a bike collection in Kelowna this summer, but without help and someone to organize and take the lead, it will be hard to make it happen.
Thanks to all who supported it last year, we have $850 already raised towards Kelowna and a further $1500 from Rotary when my home in Whistler is rented this summer, leaving us about $5,000 short and no team in place to push it over the top. if you or anyone you knows feel that this is a use full project in Kelowna, please let me know
Thanks, Humanity Rocks
Pat
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Bicycles for Humanity, June 20 Update
Hello
Well the Humanity Rocks Rotary bike ride from Whister to Ottawa is finally over. It was a very hard ride with a lot of headwinds and rain, but well worth it. Hopefully a few more people know about Bicycles for Humanity and what we as a global team are trying to accomplish. Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who followed the online journal and for their emails of support. I wanted to quit a number of times, but the encouragement and the thought of meeting the terrific teams in Thunder Bay, Brampton, Ottawa and Cambridge kept me going.
To Steve, Seb, Sandra, Maureen, Terry, Bob and Brenda and their volunteer teams, I cannot thank you enough for all you have done organizing and sending bikes from your communities to Africa. Meeting your teams and the spirit and the excitement within them was, Wow, inspiring, thanks to all so much.
The team in Thunder Bay collected 2 BEC's, Bicycle Empowerment Centres, (about 380 bikes per BEC) destined for Namibia and Zambia. St. Bartholomeus in Brampton collected 3 BEC's for Namibia and Ottawa on September 29th will be collecting a BEC for Namibia and Cambridge is in the process of finalizing their plans. In the west we will be organizing a BEC in Vancouver in the fall destined for Uganda.
The impact of empowerment through mobility for health care workers and women is life changing and everyone understand the power of a bicycle. it is our hope that more communities here will partner with African communities to help the people of Africa with their fight against Aids and a better life for their families.
Thanks again to all for the incredible achievements, riding was easy compared to what each and every one of you have done to make the world a better place for all.
Humanity Rocks
Pat
"A bicycle is the best tool for fighting aids and poverty in Africa"
www.bicycles-for-humanity.org
Well the Humanity Rocks Rotary bike ride from Whister to Ottawa is finally over. It was a very hard ride with a lot of headwinds and rain, but well worth it. Hopefully a few more people know about Bicycles for Humanity and what we as a global team are trying to accomplish. Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who followed the online journal and for their emails of support. I wanted to quit a number of times, but the encouragement and the thought of meeting the terrific teams in Thunder Bay, Brampton, Ottawa and Cambridge kept me going.
To Steve, Seb, Sandra, Maureen, Terry, Bob and Brenda and their volunteer teams, I cannot thank you enough for all you have done organizing and sending bikes from your communities to Africa. Meeting your teams and the spirit and the excitement within them was, Wow, inspiring, thanks to all so much.
The team in Thunder Bay collected 2 BEC's, Bicycle Empowerment Centres, (about 380 bikes per BEC) destined for Namibia and Zambia. St. Bartholomeus in Brampton collected 3 BEC's for Namibia and Ottawa on September 29th will be collecting a BEC for Namibia and Cambridge is in the process of finalizing their plans. In the west we will be organizing a BEC in Vancouver in the fall destined for Uganda.
The impact of empowerment through mobility for health care workers and women is life changing and everyone understand the power of a bicycle. it is our hope that more communities here will partner with African communities to help the people of Africa with their fight against Aids and a better life for their families.
Thanks again to all for the incredible achievements, riding was easy compared to what each and every one of you have done to make the world a better place for all.
Humanity Rocks
Pat
"A bicycle is the best tool for fighting aids and poverty in Africa"
www.bicycles-for-humanity.org
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