Bike and Build

Just some of the 28 people that came to Friday Harbor to help out the Home Trust – Tim Dustrude photo

This was the third year that Bike ’n Build has come to help the Home Trust project and neighborhoods. Bike ‘n Build is an organization of young professionals – some of them out in the work world and some still working on their degrees, or advanced degrees.

They give up their vacation time to do work for affordable housing while they bike their way (in this case) north from the Portland area. They left Portland 25 days ago and rode up along the coast and then down to Mt. Rainier and then up Whidbey Island to Friday Harbor. They ride about 60 miles per day and on this trip they stopped to help five similar projects along the way.

A couple of large potluck meals were provided, one on Monday evening for dinner and another on Tuesday for lunch, with food donated by Bakery San Juan and the SJI Food Co-op and residents of the Sunrise neighborhood.

Home Trust board member Chinmayo Ricketts organized the work parties for them. Some of the things they’ve done in the last couple of days at both the Salal and Sunrise neighborhoods include:

• Installed gates on fences
• Installed mailbox posts and support rails for more new mailboxes
• Sign posts installed for parking, speed limit and stop signs
• Weeding and trimming brush

Chinmayo and the signpost gang

Tomorrow they make their way toward Bellingham, their last stop and the end of this Summer’s ride.

To learn about the group, check out their website: www.bikeandbuild.org

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