Pedals for Progress/Sewing Peace, in an ongoing effort to recycle unwanted items, will hold a used bicycle and sewing machine collection on Saturday, October 29 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Otsego ReUse Center, 23 Duane Street, Oneonta.
Rust free adult and children’s bicycles in repairable condition and working portable sewing machines and sewing notions can be dropped off rain or shine throughout the day. Bikes for parts, disassembled bikes, tricycles and fabric will not be accepted.
P4P/SP collects 3,000-5,000 items annually and transfers this material wealth to those more needy. To date, more than 164,000 bicycles and 5,600 sewing machines have been shipped to developing countries in Latin America, Africa, and Eastern Europe. There, bikes are reconditioned by partner agencies and distributed at low cost to poor working adults.
Terry Berkson, who has an MFA in creative writing from Brooklyn College, lives on a farm outside Richfield Springs. His articles have appeared in New York magazine, the New York Daily News Sunday Magazine, Automobile and other publications.
I had it all planned. We’d fly to Florida on a Saturday, settle into the motel and then head for the flea market where, if lucky, I’d find a used bike to ride for the rest of our vacation. “What are you going to do when it’s time to go home?” my wife, Alice, asked.
“I don’t care,” I said, “as long as I have use of a bike while we’re down here.”
“Well, I’m glad I brought my paints along – to keep busy while you’re riding around.”
“If you didn’t have a bad knee, you’d get a bike too.”
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The thing I miss most since we left Brooklyn and moved to a house on a hill outside of Richfield Springs is bike riding. On the farm it’s easy to leave but hard to pedal home.
Brooklyn was flat like Holland, where everybody rides a bike. Before we moved I’d use mine daily, often riding five miles to the seashore at Coney Island. To me, riding along a quiet side street without the assistance of a noisy internal combustion engine felt like flying. Many stories had been conceived along the way.
Unfortunately, the car we rented in Tampa was a Kia hatchback. I always ask for a smaller car and most of the time they’re out of them and we get bumped up to a larger vehicle for no extra cost.
This time they did have a compact, so besides a bike I’d be needing a bike rack.
EXHIBIT RECEPTION – 2-4 p.m. Opening “Oneonta’s Neighborhood Markets” exhibit. Free admission, refreshments available. Oneonta History Center, 183 Main St., Oneonta. Call (607)432-0960 or visit www.oneontahistory.org
RIDE ON! – 8 a.m. Cyclists are invited to a multi-distance bike ride to promote the communities effort to reduce the carbon footprint and promote healthy lifestyles. Rides start throughout the day. Cost, $35/person. Starts at Richfield Springs Central School. Call (607) 547-8881 or visit www.otsego2000.org/2017/07/13/join-orcas-ride-on/
PADDLE & PULL – 1-3 p.m., Bring your Canoe or Kayak and enjoy a leisurely paddle on Goodyear Lake. OCCA has been working to remove invasive Water Chestnuts and now you can enjoy the benefits. If you find any stumps, OCCA will pull them up. Bring water, sunscreen, and a hat. Meeting at the Portlandville Fishing Access site on Rt. 28. occainfo.org/calendar/paddle-pull-goodyear-lake-2/
SW BIRTHDAY – 1-3 p.m. Celebrate the 30th birthday of the Swart-Wilcox House Museum. Features “Remembrances” by the Friends of Swart-Wilcox, music by Kathy Shimberg and Local Seisiun Trio, and a birthday cake. Free and open to the public with informal tours. Bring your own lawn chair. Swart-Wilcox House, Junction of Wilcox Ave. & Henry St., Oneonta. swartwilcoxhouse.wordpress.com
