Bike Athens has announced the hiring of a news full-time program director. Tyler Dewey, Executive Director of the nonprofit organization says Scott Long will help Bike Athens expand its programming and service hours.
“It’s going to be a big difference, we’ve recently moved to a new location on 1075 West Broad Street, and with the new storage space we’ve been able to donate more bikes out in the community,” Dewey said.
BikeAthens provides a much-needed solution to a common problem.
“So service partner agencies like Athens Area Homeless Shelter, Salvation Army, and others; when they have a client in a job program who needs a way to get to get to work and they can’t afford a car, and maybe their job conflicts with the bus schedule, we provide a free bike, lock and a helmet.”
Dewey says having a bicycle as reliable transportation can make a real difference in a rider’s life.
“We were just talking to a gentleman the other day who lived out in the Lexington Road area and needed to work at the Pilgrim’s Pride chicken plant, and because if his scheduling he wasn’t able to take a bus, couldn’t yet afford a car but by using a bike he was able to save $4,000 over the summer. He noticed the more he rode, the more he felt himself getting into shape and the more he actually looked forward to riding his bike.”
Bike Athens also performs maintenance on those bikes.
Scott Long has logged over 2,500 volunteer hours at BikeAthens since 2015.
