LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Cycle Recycle donation drive begins again


Photo courtesy Waterside Workshops

For the 23rd year, Bobbie and Tom Preston will be holding the Cycle Recycle, collecting repairable bikes to be refurbished and given to charitable groups. To date, over 3,600 bikes have been collected. This year the recipient organizations include Oakland International High School's Earn-A-Bike program, The Bike Charity Institute of Alamo, Keeping our Promise, which supports Afghan immigrants that served the U.S. government in Afghanistan, Waterside Workshops in Berkeley, and the Lake Merritt Community Cabins.

Waterside Workshops, new recipients of the Cycle Recycle, provide job training, wrap-around support, and outdoor recreation for over 250 low income and disconnected youth from across the East Bay each year. In addition, its bicycle mechanics and bicycle reuse program teach youth interns professional bike repair, sales and customer service, refurbishing used bicycles, which are redistributed back to the community as affordable, sustainable transportation. Once fixed up, bikes are distributed through its earn-a-bike program for low-income teenagers, through partner organizations that serve low-income youth and adults, or are sold in its used bicycle shop to generate funds for the free community programs. Each year, Waterside Workshops refurbish, reuse, or recycle over 1,500 unwanted bicycles.

Lake Merritt Community Cabins is a transitional housing site for previously homeless adult men and women, as permanent housing is arranged for them. Bicycles will allow them to get to job sites inaccessible by public transportation.

New and/or used adult or children's bikes - in working order or repairable, or useable bike parts may be delivered to the side driveway of the Preston's home at 1307 Larch Avenue in Moraga from Oct. 17 through the month of November only. No skateboards, trike, or plastic bikes please; no need to call beforehand, but for more information contact Bobbie or Tom Preston at (925) 376-8474.