The ReCyclery launches a fundraising campaign to grow

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PORT TOWNSEND – A herd of young cyclists, on their bikes and eager to get there, gathered in front of the ReCyclery last week. The nonprofit store is also relatively young, located on the corner of Blaine and Kearney streets since 2010 – and it too is set to grow.

The ReCyclery embarks on the first phase of a fundraising campaign to raise $ 135,000 for the excavation and laying of water and sewer pipes, an upgrade of the electrical and heating system and equipment Improved Safety: “The really sexy part,” joked Executive Director Liz Revord.

Instead of rented portable toilets, the ReCyclery will have a built-in bathroom in its building – and that will only be the beginning, she added.

The long term vision is to create a more inviting and safer space for people to come and experience the joys and challenges of cycling in the Northern Olympic Peninsula.

This applies to everyone, not just those who can afford brand new wheels, added Dave Thielk, board member.

“This is where the rubber hits the road: we want to make sure that anyone who needs a bicycle has access to it,†he said.

On a blustery Wednesday afternoon, the teens at the ReCyclery Mountain Bike Club adjusted for their weekly hike.

“We can’t just ride with friends, we learn new skills every day. It’s pretty fun, â€said 14-year-old Aiden Kraft.

“It’s fun to walk around with other people,” added Django Lynge, 13.

And with that, they were gone, with volunteer instructors Matt Tyler, Daniel Shyles and Linda Lenz as shepherds.

The Mountain Bike Club is one of the programs run by ReCyclery in Jefferson County.

Recent activities also include a free bike repair station in Brinnon, the Earn-a-Bike program, and bike education and safety days at Blue Heron and Quilcene Colleges.

And this fall, Windermere Agents of Good Roots will sponsor the Holiday Kids’ Bike Giveaway to donate some 40 bikes to kids who wouldn’t otherwise have received such a gift.

These programs, said Revord, are facets of ReCyclery’s mission: “to promote the use of cycling for a healthier and more sustainable community”.

For more than a decade, the operation has taken place in a rural setting. This is a full service bicycle shop that has never had running water. The mechanical jobs – and the rest of the structure – are open to the elements.

“It wasn’t until COVID, in 2020, that we got a hand washing station versus just the porta-john,†Revord said.

The ReCyclery accepts and refurbishes donated bikes for all ages, and it doesn’t turn people down for lack of funds when they need a repaired bike, she added.

This is the first time that the operation has mounted a large-scale fundraising campaign. Once the first phase is completed, a second phase will raise funds for classrooms, offices and a retail showroom.

For now, the ReCyclery is opening several portals for donations. Its website, PTReCyclery.org, has a link for online contributions under Capital Campaign. Checks can be deposited or mailed to 1925 Blaine St., Port Townsend, WA 98368. Supporters interested in discussing donations over $ 500 are encouraged to contact the Board of Directors at [email protected] or 971-266-3170.

For those who want to go out for a walk, the annual Tour de Forts will take place this Saturday. It’s a gran fondo, Italian for long walks, covering 100 kilometers – 62 miles – while there will also be 14 and 26 mile options.

Starting and ending at Discovery Bay Brewing in Port Townsend, the tour will stop at Fort Worden, Fort Townsend, and Fort Flagler State Parks, with snacks provided on departure and free drinks on arrival. General registration is $ 50, $ 25 for students and free for cyclists 12 and under, with details under the Tour de Forts link on PTReCyclery.org.

Meanwhile, the Mountain Bike Club embarked on its own loop last Wednesday. Chef Matt Tyler planned a swing through Cappy’s Trails, then through the Jacob Miller Road neighborhood, then back to ReCyclery for a total of 14 miles.

Members, in grades five to eight, receive instruction according to their skill level, and trips to the Port Ludlow or Port Gamble trails are possible on the road.

Dustin Hines, 14, is a dedicated member of the club.

Leaders “teach us in older groups and younger groups,” he noted. “I love that we can cycle to all the different places.”

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Jefferson County Senior Reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3509 or [email protected]

Starting from the left, volunteer instructor Linda Lenz, students Dustin Hines and Darby Berg, guest cyclist Dimitri Kuznetsov and student Max Galligan-Hong warm up for a ride at the Mountain Bike Club. The club is part of ReCyclery’s Jefferson County youth programs. (Diane Urbani de la Paz / Peninsula Daily News)


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