Earlier this year Recycle Bicycle Harrisburg (RBH) was approached by Harrisburg University (HU), with leadership by A.J. Merlino, to develop a partnership. We enthusiastically entered this partnership knowing that each of us will benefit in multiple ways.
RBH will assist students who want bicycles, engage them in bicycle mechanics, teach bicycle safety, promote advocacy, and offer repairs when necessary. The HU students in turn will volunteer with us, increase RBH’s community exposure, explore opportunities for school projects, and pursue internships.
The RBH volunteers already assisted around 40 students, who received bicycles to use as their main form of transportation in Harrisburg. Since the HU Campus is located downtown, while the market and other food stores are in midtown, a bicycle is a convenient way to shop for groceries or run necessary errands.
We rely on young minds, like the HU students, to continue our mission. RBH hopes to expand our Youth Mechanic Program and serve as a resource for meeting and advocating the nonmotorized transportation needs of our community. With HU, we are excited about the future of bicycling in our area.