Menlo Park, CA: On Saturday, May 24th at 1pm, teens from the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula (BGCP) will lead a 7.3 mile bike ride to build unity, inspire active lifestyles in the Belle Haven community, and to generate excitement around the fall launch of a youth-run bike shop built from shipping containers donated by Triton. The Unity Ride begins and ends at the Menlo Park Clubhouse (401 Pierce Road) and both adult and youth bicycle enthusiasts and novices are invited to participate.
BGCP’s Menlo Park Clubhouse Director Torman Jahi says, “What we hope to achieve through the bike ride is to bring community together in the spirit of bike riding, build relationships with community stakeholders and everyday riders, and to share our plans to engage the youth in even more meaningful ways next fall through this bike shop concept”. Sketches of the converted shipping containers will be on display after the ride and were created by Studio SK architects.
The Unity Ride is part of a larger organizational wellness initiative designed to teach all Belle Haven youth to swim and ride bicycles. The bike shop will serve as both a community gathering space and an employment pathway for teens to jobs in local bike shops, transportation departments at local technology partners, and as certified instructors prepared to teach bicycle safety to both children and adults.
Facebook’s transportation department is contributing 50 bikes to support Unity Ride participants who lack access to a bicycle. They will fit and train each youth on the basics of bicycle safety.
Mayor Ray Mueller and other city leadership will be participating in the ride, including Police Chief Robert Jonsen. Menlo Park Police will be ensuring safe passage at busy intersections.
About BGCP: BGCP’s (http://www.bgcp.org/) mission is to help the at-risk youth of our community develop the academic and life skills they need to complete high school ready for college or career.
