CUMBERLAND — Bikes for the World is a 501c3 charity that provides repairable bicycles to partnering agencies in developing countries. These bikes are affordable and provide access to health care, jobs and education.
What surprises some people is that collecting portable sewing machines is also a huge part of this organization. Since portable sewing machines can fit in among rows of bikes in a shipping container, including them was a logical addition to the goals of Bikes for the World.
Many recipients have developed cottage industries based on sewing, such as making new clothes and extending the life of older ones. With 2024 being Bikes for the World’s 20th anniversary, the 1,000th sewing machine was shipped.
Coordinating with Bikes for the World, Otterbein United Methodist Church in Hagerstown has maintained a regular bike and sewing machine collection. Cindy Brown of Hagerstown delivered the 100th bike to the same shipping container that shipped the 200,000th bike.
Cumberland area bike collection coordinator Valerie Van Hollen said, “We were pleased and proud to be part the 20th anniversary of BfW celebration. “Cindy joined our delegation, and we cheered her on as she loaded the celebrated 1,000th sewing machine onto the shipping container headed to Costa Rica.”
Becky Fritts of Hagerstown donated the machine that was received by MiBici, an arm of FINCA in Costa Rica, a longtime partner of Bikes for the World.
The next Cumberland area bike and sewing machine collection is May 17, from 10 a.m. to noon at Canal Place. Contact Pamela McCormick at 301-606-4734 for more information. Wheelzup Adventures is available for pre-collection storage one week prior to the May 17 collection.