Letter from the president, Midlands Gives

Dear friends,

This week Cola Town Bike Collective celebrated its fourth birthday: four years ago, we were incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization. In that time, we’ve upgraded shop spaces twice, installed bike stands across Columbia, launched a web app called Sprocket mapping local bike routes, helped make reliable transportation available to underserved segments of our community, and built an incredible community of bike users throughout the Midlands. For a great review of what we’ve accomplished together this past year alone, check out the 2019 Impact Report on our website here.

Though we are currently operating in a very limited capacity, we still need your support. As folks enjoy more time on their bikes (awesome!) we continue to field requests for cost-effective bike sales, repairs, and support. Our two-man team is working hard to fill all of these requests even as we work from home. We know our shop closure is temporary, and we’re looking forward to the time when we can throw the doors open, plug in the lights on the patio, and welcome everyone in. Until then, you can help us in the following ways:

1. Make a donation via our Midlands Gives page. The minimum amount this year has been lowered to $10! Here’s a sense of where your money will go to work: • $40 sponsors a bike donation, enabling us to provide reliable transportation to a person who would otherwise have to walk to and from work every day. • $100 funds a full month of utilities at our shop, the epicenter of our rides, repairs, donations, and community events. • $200 keeps our web-based app Sprocket running for a full month! This app helps bike users navigate safely around the Midlands and find freely accessible bike repair stands.
2. Sign the Bike Friendly Columbia petition advocating for a demonstration of how additional bike boulevards and bike lanes can make our city a more enjoyable, healthier place to live, work, and play.
3. Share our social media posts and help us spread the word about safe bike use in the Midlands. We are always looking to add new members to our community of bike users and advocates for a more bike-friendly Midlands.

Many thanks for your continued support. Hope to ride with you soon!

Best wishes for good health and safe rides,
Scott