Rotary Club plans final bike sale May 8

The Rotary Club of Arlington Heights is planning a final sale of bikes collected from community donations.

For more than 10 years, the group has been collecting used bikes, refurbishing them and then donating them back into the community.

"Our idea started out as only a holiday program so that low-income families could have bikes for their children," said bike program chairman Ron Crawford. "But then we realized that the need for bikes existed all year. We have been fortunate to have John Amling, who has owned bike shops for 20 years, as an important source of technical assistance."

The Rotary Club has collected and redistributed more than 1,600 bikes back into the community and has worked with a number of local nonprofit organizations. These include the village of Arlington Heights, Cross and Crown Church, Viator House, Partners for Our Communities, Our Lady of Angels Church, Mission San Juan Diego, Faith Community Homes, Wheeling Township, and Elk Grove Township.

"We are especially proud of our relationship with Cross and Crown Church, which has provided bikes to dozens of homeless people who have no other means of transportation," Crawford said.

All funds raised will be used to support Rotary projects in the community.

The group is planning its final bike sale from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 8, in the Village Bank parking lot, 311 S. Arlington Heights Road, in Arlington Heights.

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