RE-’CYCLED’ FOR FUN
Bikeatoga holds annual Holiday giveaway
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> Bikeatoga volunteers resemble Santa’s elves as they turn wrenches and pump up tires in the group’s basement workshop at St. Peter’s Church.
On Saturday, their hard work paid off as area residents turned out for the non-profit organization’s annual Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway.
“This is the best time of year to come here,” said Roseann Styczynski, Bikeatoga secretary. “The smile on kids’ faces is fantastic. This is the day I get paid.”
Recycled bikes are given away free to children and adults alike, although adults must return the favor with three hours of volunteer work.
“I first came here with my son, Bobby, and didn’t know how to pump up my own tires,” said Elizabeth Witty, who helps out regularly. “Now I’ve learned how to rip apart a bike and put it back together.”
For those who couldn’t attend Saturday, bikes may still be picked up from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays through the end of December. The shop is closed during January and has limited hours in February.
Bikeatoga accepts donations of used bicycles, which are fixed up and prepared for re-use. The program provides bikes for some children whose families might not be able to afford them otherwise.
“Kids are attracted to something that’s new, clean and shiny,” said Mike O’Toole, the group’s president. “Teens look for mountain bikes.”
However, many Saratoga Race Course backstretch workers turn to Bikeatoga for a reliable source of transportation during the summer meet.
Brian McKinsey, a former Formula 4 race car driver, helps the organization because of his sheer love for all things mechanical.
“I love turning wrenches, whether it’s for a bicycle for a child or a pipe at home for my mother,” he said.
Volunteer Brad Beal said, “I’ve been riding for years. This obviously dovetails with my interest. I’m also one of those Yankee guys who hates to see things go to waste. I’d rather see them fixed up and used instead of being thrown away.”
Bikeatoga also holds an annual spring giveaway in April, although bikes may be “adopted” at any time of year.
Group Treasurer Roland Laffert said the organization has led to new friendships in the cycling world. For example, he and Vice President-elect Dan Lynch once biked the entire Erie Canalway Trail, more than 300 miles from Albany to Buffalo.
“The thing I liked best was just meeting different people,” Laffert said. “We met one group from Australia who came to see New York, how it really is.”
For information go to: bikeatoga.org.