First of all, I would like to thank the wonderful staff at LACBC for giving me the opportunity to participate in BikeMatch. It was amazing to see this team pull together an impressive series of events with such limited time as well as through all of the challenges presented by current circumstances. The success of BikeMatch is a great example of what can be accomplished with a powerful idea and the determination to equal it.
As one of LACBC’s new fall interns, my introduction to the organization has been unconventional due to the ongoing pandemic. Previously, my interactions were limited to emails and video calls, so being able to meet the LACBC staff and volunteers in person made for a great start to the week. Right from the beginning, I was impressed by how well everyone worked together. Even without the presence of a concrete plan, LACBC staff, volunteers, and bike mechanics got right to work assembling and organizing bike parts. I enjoyed getting to know many new people the first day while keeping up with the whirlwind of activity. The absolute highlight was when I was taught how to tire a bike, a skill that will be useful for many years to come!
Anna’s first bike tire.
On the final day of BikeMatch, everyone who participated was able to see the week of hard work reach a conclusion when bikes were given away to several essential workers. It was a long week, but seeing cheerful people walk out with new bikes was a reminder of the importance of this work.
Bikes awaiting pick-up.
Thank you to all who participated, as well as The Bike Shop California and Warner Bros. What an incredible introduction to the biking community in Los Angeles; I am so proud to be a part of it!
Bikes at The Bike Shop California.