NEWBURYPORT — City Marshal Mark Murray is pleased to announce that the Newburyport Police Department has donated dozens of abandoned bicycles to children in need both in the city and across the globe in Africa.
Over the last year, around 40 bicycles found throughout the city have been collected by police. Working with Molly Ettenborough, manager of the department of Recycling, Energy and Sustainability, police turned over the bikes to be repaired and reused.
“It’s great to be able to take something that’s old, damaged and unused and repair it to benefit children of all ages with a sustainable mode of transportation,” Marshal Murray said. “Thank you to everyone involved in fixing up these bikes, we’re pleased to see they’re going to great causes.”
Ettenborough collaborated with Aaron Millett, owner of Riverside Cycles, and a group of volunteers to tune up the bicycles. Approximately a dozen bicycles were allocated to the Learning Enrichment Center at Kelleher Park and will be given to local students that are in need over the spring. The center services low-income families who have children in Newburyport’s Public Schools.
The remainder of the bikes have been picked up and sent to villages in Africa through the Small Solutions Big Ideas program. They will be given to students to use for traveling to and from school.
“I felt like this was a great cause and a win-win opportunity to re-purpose bikes and make a huge difference to kids in Africa,” Millet said. “The fact that the Newburyport Police Department jumped in and donated bikes is great and helps lend to the sustainability of the program. Aside from donating some tools, parts and time, this has been a low-cost solution that I think makes a big difference and it’s great that the bikes don’t end up in the landfill.”
