Working Bikes 23rd Anniversary!
Gather with Working Bikes staff, volunteers, partners, and friends to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year and raise a glass to the amazing community that made it all happen! The Working Bikes 23rd Anniversary Celebration will be held at the Working Bikes shop (2434 S. Western Avenue) on Saturday, October 1st from 4pm – 8pm. Come by for a block party, warehouse tours, a silent auction, a bike decorating bonanza, games, music, and more! Bites and beverages will be provided by some of our favorite local vendors including Flor Azteca, a co-operative from Telpochcalli Community Education Project, CHAOS Brew Club, and Revolution Brewing. Get individual tickets here.
Interested in supporting Working Bikes as we enter our 23rd year? Consider becoming a 23rd Anniversary Sponsor! Learn more about sponsorship levels and benefits here. Ready to support? You can make a donation to the Anniversary Fundraiser here. For questions about sponsorship and donations, please contact us at [email protected].
August General Meeting
We can’t believe it’s already August, but the heat has been in effect for a couple months now and back to school events are just around the corner. Please join us on Wednesday, August 3rd, for a hybrid general meeting to discuss all things Working Bikes- folks who are vaccinated and masked are welcome to attend in person anytime after 6:30pm. We’ll keep our distance, but food and drinks are welcome. We’ll be starting the meeting and activating the Zoom link (see below) promptly at 7:15pm. This month we’ll be hearing from a few local partners, including Brother Demetrius of Bikes in Da Hood, Amanda Woodall on coordinating Chicago’s bike giveaway, and friends from Pilsen Fest who will be encouraging pedaling as their signature theme this year. We’ll also be sharing updates about upcoming donation events, rides, and shipping parties, and as always, spreading bike love. We look forward to seeing you there!
Zoom Meeting Link
June, 2022 Draft Minutes
Agenda
June General Meeting!
Our first General Meeting of the summer season is upon us! Join us tomorrow Wednesday, June 1st for a hybrid meeting – folks who are vaccinated and masked are welcome to attend in person anytime after 6:30pm. We’ll be starting the meeting and activating the Zoom link (see below) promptly at 7:15pm. This month we’ll be hearing from our local partner Derek Brown from Boxing Out Negativity, sharing updates about upcoming donation events, rides, and shipping parties, and introducing the new faces who have recently joined the WB team. We look forward to seeing you there!
Zoom Meeting Link
April, 2022 Draft Minutes
Agenda
April General Meeting
It’s that time again! Our April General Meeting is coming up next Wednesday, April 6th. We’ll be hosting the meeting using a hybrid model again, with vaccinated, masked attendees welcome to join us at the warehouse anytime after 6:30pm. We’ll be starting the meeting promptly at 7:15pm. We like to hear from our partners at these General Meetings and this time we’ll have folks from our Community Mechanic Training Programs talk about their experience!
Zoom Meeting Link
February, 2022 (Annual Meeting) Draft Minutes
Agenda
The Community Mechanics Training Program!
Working Bikes is partnering with Lyft to create the Community Mechanic Training Program (CMTP), a series of workshops designed to teach community members essential bike mechanic skills! The goal of this program is to help train up future bike mechanics, focused specifically on folks who have barriers to employment and historical underrepresentation in the bicycle industry. Starting in last 2021, Working Bikes staff hosted information sessions for community members to learn more about the CMTP. Recruitment for program members is focused on the neighborhoods surrounding our shop, including North Lawndale, Little Village, and Pilsen. To do this, we’re speaking directly with customers, volunteers, and our neighborhood partners to get the word out about the program!
The first cohort of mechanics in training have already started getting their hands dirty! Xail and Sarah have been leading the group in some of bike 101 basics, including tool and part identification, flat fixes, and the beginning bike systems. After 6 weeks, the mechanics will be ready to seek out employment throughout the city’s network of bike shops, as well as with our program partners at Lyft/Divvy! The second cohort will begin later this month and will be focused on working with Spanish speaking community members. We’re excited to share skills with and support the growing number of bike mechanics in our community! We’ll be sure to takes plenty of photos along the way!
2022 Annual Meeting!
If you’re new to Working Bikes or just interested in what we got up to in 2021 now is the perfect time to attend one of our bimonthly general meeting. Our upcoming Annual Meeting (the first General Meeting of every calendar year) is on Wednesday, February 2nd 2022. The annual meeting is always a fun one – in addition to voting on a board slate and officers, we’ll go through all the amazing accomplishments you made possible in 2021 and show off our annual report.
February 2nd SNOW UPDATE! The meeting will be ALL VIRTUAL!!! Stay safe out there, and see you on Zoom starting promptly at 7:15pm. The Zoom link is below. We’ll see you soon!
Meeting Zoom Link
Annual Meeting Agenda 2/2/2022
December 2021 Meeting Minutes
December General Meeting Recap & Call for New WB Board Members!
Thank you to everyone that joined us for the last general meeting of 2021! For those that weren’t able to make it earlier this month, don’t worry! Recordings of both guest speakers – Karim Kamara from Village Bicycle Project in Sierra Leone and Olatunji Oboi Reed from our local partner Equiticity – are available on our YouTube channel. You can find links to both videos below, along with the meeting minutes.
Working Bikes will also be holding elections for new board members at the upcoming Annual Meeting on February 2nd, 2022 (mark your calendars!). Interested in joining our board? Statements of interests (see link below) can be sent to Trevor or Phil prior to the February meeting.
Karim, VBP, partner update
Olatunji Oboi Reed, Equiticity, partner update
December General Meeting Minutes (Draft)
Working Bikes Board Statement of Interest
December General Meeting
Wednesday, December 1st is the last general meeting of 2021! Join us for a recap of WB programs and fall events. We’ll also be joined via Zoom by Karim Kamara from Village Bicycle Project to hear about the his work with VBP in Sierra Leone! Our local partner Oboi from Equiticity will also tentatively be speaking at the meeting to provide an update on the work taking place throughout Chicago. The meeting will once again be in hybrid format, with the opportunity for attendants to join us via Zoom (link below) and in person (fully vaccinated individuals only).
We’ll be gathering in person starting at 6:30, with the meeting beginning promptly at 7:15pm. See you next week!
Meeting Zoom Link
General Meeting Agenda 12-1-2021
August Meeting Minutes
Working Bikes 22nd Anniversary Celebration!
Join us Saturday, October 2nd from 4pm-8pm at Working Bikes as we honor the accomplishments of the past year and raise a glass to the amazing community that made it all happen! We’ll be closing down 24th Place for a fantastic mix of indoor and outdoor festivities, including warehouse tours, a silent auction, outside games and bike races, screen printing, music, and more! Connect with WB partners and friends, and learn more about our work throughout Chicago and around the world.
Tickets to the Working Bikes 22nd Anniversary Celebration include party entry, along with a plate and cup to enjoy bites and beverages from some of our favorite local spots! Purchase your tickets today!
Interested in supporting Working Bikes as we enter our 22nd year? Consider becoming a 22nd Anniversary Sponsor! Learn more about sponsorship levels and benefits here. You can also make a donation to the Anniversary Fundraiser. For questions about sponsorship and donations, contact us at [email protected].
THANK YOU TO OUR 22ND ANNIVERSARY SPONSORS!
Paramount Level
Amy Little & Lee Ravenscroft
Marcia Bogolub
Phil Kaplan
Scott Johnstone
Superior Level
Andrew & Gail Brown
Cheryl & Steve Irwin
Jim Lindsey
John & Holly Fraleigh
Kathy Kirn & David Levinson
Nancy Gerrie
Pete Travnicek & Betsy Hoag
Wallace Family Foundation
World Traveler Level
Amanda Amert & Doug Bacon
Anne & Bill Goldstein
Byline Bank
Charla Reinganum & Dan Schwartz
Dave Gorman
Disparti Law Group
Ellen Gibbon
Freeman Kevenides Law Firm
Garfield Park Community Council
Joe & Carol Bernier
Ken & Paula Weissman
Kent & Sheila Mauck
Kim Erwin & Tom Mulhern
