Rocktown Rallies is partnering with the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) to provide local refugees with bicycles for transportation.

Wheels Week is your opportunity to get involved. Local bike shops will be accepting donations of bicycles and bike parts the week of August 15th - 20th, or you can make a tax deductible monetary donation to SVBC to support the Bikes for Refugees program. 

Donate Your Bike!

Donate Money!
​Get that dusty bike out of your garage! Put that long-forgotten bike in your basement to good use! During the week of August 15th - 20th, you can drop off your bike and bike parts donations at the following bike shops in the Harrisonburg area during regular business hours:
  • Bluestone Bike & Run - 1570 S. Main Street, Harrisonburg
  • Mole Hill Bikes - 440 Main Street, Dayton
  • Rocktown Bicycles - 50 S. Mason Street, Harrisonburg
  • Shenandoah Bicycle Company - 135 S. Main Street, Harrisonburg
The SVBC accepts tax-deductible donations specifically for purchasing bicycles for refugees. 

100% of donated funds go toward the Bicycles for Refugees program. Donate online, or mail a check to: 
Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition
PO Box 1014
Harrisonburg, VA  22803
  • A $10 donation can provide a bike lock
  • A $20 donation can provide a floor pump for a refugee family
  • A $200 donation can provide a used, reliable bike
  • A $220 doantion can provide a brand new bicycle
  • A $250 can provide an entire bike + lock + pump package for a refugee
  • (Helmets are obtained free through Safe Routes to School)

About the Bicycles for Refugees

The Bicycles for Refugees initiative began in November 2015 when a group of refugees in Harrisonburg identified transportation as a major challenge. For many refugees, bicycling is the most efficient and reliable transportation available. Since the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition aims to foster all forms of cycling, including cycling for transportation, building a partnership between SVBC and the CWS Harrisonburg Immigration and Refugee Office was a natural fit.

How the program works:
The CWS Harrisonburg Office works with new refugee families interested in bicycling as transportation. Once identified, those individuals attend a class taught by SVBC members where they learn basic bike skills, safety skills and bicycle related laws. At the end of the 2-hour class, refugees get to take home their bicycle, helmet, bike lock, and bike pump. If they want any additional help or teaching in the following weeks or months, SVBC members are available to schedule additional one-on-one follow up classes.

Picture
Photo Credit: CHRISTOPHER CLYMER KURTZ and http://wmra.org/post/refugee-cyclists

Other Volunteer Opportunities

  • If you speak languages other than English, SVBC would love your help teaching classes. Language barriers are one of the program's biggest challenges.
  • If you have a professional background in bicycle repair, you can volunteer to help build bicycles when new shipments come in.
  • If you a cyclist comfortable with rules of the road, you can help teach hands-on bicycle classes with refugees.​