New Haven Independent

They’re Ready To Ride

by Adzua Agyapon | June 29, 2009 9:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Joseph Mullo hopped on his very own bike in the Fair Haven Middle School gym Monday afternoon, where he and over 50 neighborhood children received brand new wheels from Devil’s Gear Bike Shop.

Each of the 65 bedazzled bikes had the names of a different child on a large name tag wrapped around the handle bars.

Each year a community organization, school or church in a different neighborhood is given the responsibility to decide which children will receive the new bikes as part of the giveaway program. This year the staff of Junta For Progressive Action (JUNTA) took up the responsibility of reaching out to needy families in the neighborhood. “It was a community effort,” JUNTA Executive Dire tor Sandra Trevino said. To find children who could use the bikes, the group reached out to the staff of Columbus School for recommendations.

This marks the 20th anniversary of the Bikes for Kids program, which was coordinated by the city’s Youth Services Bureau, and funded by a state grant. Carol Suber (pictured), the neighborhood program specialist for the bureau, has been organizing the event for years. The children normally receive their bikes in December. This year Suber decided to hold the event over summer, so that the kids would be able to “really ride and enjoy [their bikes]” Suber said.

Working with $10,000 for the event, Suber reached out to The Devil’s Gear Bike Shop on Chapel Street near Hamilton. Shop owner Matthew Feiner (pictured) worked with Suber to order and assemble bikes for as many children as possible. It’s been “a blast to help people,” Fiener said. It’s “so important to have [children] explore their neighborhood.” He said bikes enable them to “explore their environment, beyond the block to get a real feeling of the neighborhood [they] live in.”

The Devil’s Gear Bike Shop staff fit all the children for complimentary helmets and led a bicycle safety workshop.

Carol Suber said she fears the economy may prevent her from receiving grant money to hold the bike giveaway event next summer.

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Comments

Posted by: anthony | June 30, 2009 8:58 AM

Just another reason the devils gear is my favorite shop in CT. Amazing work fellows, and great article. Thanks for covering this NHI!

Posted by: jawbone | June 30, 2009 2:40 PM

Matt Feiner for mayor...there, I said it.

Posted by: Consti2amend | June 30, 2009 4:39 PM

Matt, what a great thing to have done! Keep up the great job you are doing for bicyclists in the greater New Haven area!

Posted by: Streever | June 30, 2009 10:36 PM

Nice work Matthew & all!

Posted by: Bob | July 1, 2009 9:02 AM

Nice idea. Seems like that for $10,000 they could have given out a 100 bikes if they went to Walmart. Another inefficient government program.

Posted by: robn | July 1, 2009 9:10 AM

New Haven needs more good solid citizens like Matt Feiner.

Posted by: William Kurtz | July 1, 2009 9:54 AM

Awesome job!

Posted by: Brandon | July 1, 2009 12:20 PM

Bob,
If the government went for the "efficient" Wal-Mart plan, these New Haven youth would be riding 100 less durable bicycles, possibly wearing 100 improperly fitted helmets that put them at increased risk for serious injury. Not to mention, it would undermine the community-building aspect of the program and support a national corporation instead of one of our local businesses.
Governmental efficiency cannot be measured simply in quantity and price.

Posted by: jawbone | July 2, 2009 3:54 PM

Bob,
For $154.00 per kid/bicycle the children got a bicycle, a helmet, and a lesson in safe riding. I seriously doubt that these three items could be had for $100 and I doubt that Wal-Mart offers riding and safety lessons. This is all in addition to the fact that the program helps to support a local business.
Stay positive, my friend, and have a constructive summer.

Posted by: robn | July 3, 2009 9:16 AM

BOB,

IF I bought a bike at Walmart, would the lead paint job cost extra or be for free?

Posted by: Yvette | July 8, 2009 2:49 PM

What a wonderful public service! I loved the article, but more importantly, love the civic-mindedness of the bike shop owner.

They’re Ready To Ride

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