Allston-Brighton bikes

The Helmets in Play (HIP) program of the Joseph M. Smith Community Health Center (JMSCHC) is one of the grantees of the Allston-Brighton/Boston College Community Fund recognized at an award ceremony held May 7, 2009. HIP, a partnership of JMSCHC and Allston-Brighton bikes (a/k/a A-Bbikes), will offer free bike and/or skate helmets to MassHealth eligible Allston-Brighton youth. Vouchers will be distributed by JMSCHC through its Allston clinic and satellite community health center sites at the Jackson-Mann complex and Gardner Pilot Academy. International Bicycle Centers will assist with fitting and supplying helmets through HIP. MassHealth eligible youth get a free helmet while supplies last! For more information contact: Francisca Guevara (JMSCHC Community Health Manager) at 617-208-1562 or fguevara@jmschc.org

Helmets in Play is part of A-Bbikes’ and its partners’ efforts to increase local youth access to bikes, helmets and bike education. A-Bbikes encourages local schools to take advantage of the bicycle education and other resources available through the Massachusetts Safe Routes to Schools program. Supported by funds from Ron Gluck (of the Boston law firm Breakstone, White & Gluck) additional bike education opportunities will be provided by MassBike to Allston-Brighton youth through West End House Boys and Girls Club and JMSCHC. Gluck’s donations will also be used to help maintain a fleet of bikes and helmets donated for use at the West End House by International Bicycle Centers and other A-Bbikes donors.

Dear Friends of Bay State Bike Week,

On behalf of the city of Boston, Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the Bay State Bike Week organizing committee, I would like to cordially invite you to the Bay State Bike Week Kickoff Press Announcement and mini-bike ride.

• Monday, May 11, 2009
• 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM; departing City Hall at 12:00 sharp.
• Start @ 1 City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA (at flagpole on Cambridge Street side).
• Finish @ Christopher Columbus Park, Boston, MA

Together we will bike 1 mile from City Hall Plaza to Christopher Columbus Park for the speaking portion where Mayor Menino and members of the Mass Commute team launch Bike Week. Thank you T-shirts provided to first 50 arrivals and water bottles to all who join.

R.S.V.P preferred but not required: Nicole.freedman.bra@cityofboston.gov

Sincerely,

The Bay State Bike Week Team

Come celebrate Bike Week with hundreds of cyclists and enjoy our FREE BREAKFAST, BIKE EXPO AND MUSIC on City Hall Plaza in Boston on Friday May 15th from 7 AM to 10 AM. Ride home with your gift bag and water bottle. And if that is not enough, we will personally escort you to downtown Boston. You can join any of our police-escorted cycling convoys for a safe and fun commute to work and meet new friends. Led by experienced cyclists and escorted by Boston Police, convoys follow a fixed schedule and route and originate at locations throughout metro-Boston. All convoys finish at City Hall Plaza Boston. You can join a convoy in Boston, Cambridge, Arlington, Newton, Dorchester, West Roxbury, and Jamaica Plain. More event and route information is available at: http://baystatebikeweek.kintera.org/faf/help/helpEventInfo.asp?ievent=300139&lis=1&kntae300139=46AB74DCE2174141BBB4C2A3232AE3AA

Please spread the word to ALL who may be interested!

If interested in being a ride leader for the Allston-Brighton route, contact Amy (volunteer coordinator) at: Amy@hubonwheels.org