Innisfail's lost and abandoned bicycles are on their way to the African nation of Ghana.
Last month, Calvin Toews, of Cal Cycle in Linden, picked up 12 bicycles from the Town of Innisfail peace officer Ryan Anderson for donation to the Clothes-Aid program out of Calgary.
“This is the first time we have donated bikes away,” said Anderson. “We used to auction them off and for the low amount of money we get this is a far better use of the bikes. The people of Ghana will appreciate them much more.”
Toews has been involved with the program for 10 years, collecting at least one container of 450 bikes per year to ship to Africa.
In recent weeks a container of 450 bikes was sent to Kenya.
“They will end up in the markets alongside clothing from Value Village and fresh fruits and vegetables to be sold to Kenyans,” said Toews.
He noted sending bikes overseas is an expensive proposal but funds are donated to cover the shipping. Once the bikes arrive in Africa they are fixed and sold.
The Linden bike shop owner ran across the Calgary group when they came to visit him at his bike shop looking for donations. They told him what they did and he agreed to be part of the program.
“I get bikes from people who trade their old ones in, from landfill sites, and places like Innisfail. Instead of sending them to the landfill this was the best use for them,” said the bike shop owner. “We load them up in a container, and send them out.”
Toews visited his children, who were on a mission in Africa, and saw first-hand how the cast-offs could help the people of the villages.
“We went to a market in Africa, and found everything we needed, including bicycles,” said Toews, who attends the Mennonite Church outside of Linden. “When we returned home from visiting our children, I started collecting bikes for them.”
Anderson said the Town of Innisfail will continue to collect bikes for Africa.
Toews can be contacted at his bike shop at 403-546-4007 or online at www.calscycle.ca.
