YEAR-END GIVING TAKES PROJECT ZAMBIA FUNDRAISING OVER THE HALFWAY MARK
Join us as we celebrate the crossing of a major milestone for Project Zambia and a successful year-end giving campaign. You, our World Bicycle Relief donors, contributed more than $900,000 in the final part of the year, taking us well over the halfway mark in total contributions towards our goal of $2.9 million to complete Project Zambia.

In addition to the year-end campaign, 2007 was an excellent year overall, with total donations adding up to more than $1.3 million. Throughout the year, we heard from many of you who raised money for us in creative ways, including bridge clubs, house parties, cycling clubs, groups of middle school students riding and funds through pledges, a father-daughter tandem ride, a yoga party, t-shirt sales, a poetry reading, donations in lieu of an office party and many others.

Your creativity, contributions and hard work are essential to this effort - you are putting bicycles into the hands of caregivers, and as a direct result are saving lives.

We wish you all could be there to see the joy and feeling of empowerment on care givers' faces when they receive a bicycle; it's hard to forget. If you haven't already, please view this video which highlights a bicycle distribution and will take you there to see the power of your contribution. Thank you all for giving the Power of Bicycles!


FROM THE FIELD:
EMPOWERING OVC CAREGIVERS IN CHAZANGA

As the 10-ton World Bicycle Relief truck pulled up to a school in Chazanga, Zambia, more than 200 kids swarmed around it shouting and dancing.

World Bicycle Relief delivered 60 bicycles to Orphan/Vulnerable Children Caregivers operating through CARE International here. The children put on a show of dancing and games while the bikes were being off-loaded, and even invited many of the WBR staff to join them in their celebration.

 

Once all the bikes were unloaded and arranged in the main yard, the Caregivers gathered in the large ensaka  (pavillion) to go over the details of their two-year, service-to-own contract. They watched in attentive silence as our Project Manager for Africa, Dave Neiswander, showed them the features of their new bikes and introduced the World Bicycle Relief-trained field mechanics that would help maintain the bicycles. These mechanics have received training not only in bicycle maintenance, but also in business and "life skills" in return for their service maintaining the Caregivers' bicycles in their region. 

The Caregivers then lined up and excitedly signed their contracts. It was a magical moment as each bicycle was turned over to them after one final check by a mechanic. The Caregivers were grinning wide as they received this critical tool in their selfless work on behalf of OVCs.





CHICAGO'S SECOND UNITARIAN SUPPORTS
WORLD BICYCLE RELIEF IN FEBRUARY
Each month, Chicago's Second Unitarian Church designates an organization to be the recipient of half its collections every Sunday. And this month, the church has graciously chosen World Bicycle Relief as the recipient!

For more than 100 years, Second Unitarian has served Chicago from the heart of the historic Lakeview neighborhood. The church has invited our very own Leah Missbach Day to speak to the congregation each Sunday through March 2. She will build on the theme of "Making A Difference."  The church is located at 656 W. Barry and services are at 10 and 11:30 a.m. For more information, visit www.secondunitarian.org.


ART STUDENTS ILLUSTRATE THE POWER
Tej Rae, an art teacher for the American School in Lusaka, Zambia, was so moved by the MSNBC blog of John Larson profiled in December, that she shared it with her middle school-aged students.  The blog served as their inspiration to create mandalas: a "graphic and often symbolic pattern, usually in the form of a circle divided into four separate sections or bearing a multiple projection of an image." Thank you to Tej and her students for sharing these wonderful creations!



'ASSEMBLE WITH CARE:' WHEATON COLLEGE EXHIBITS PHOTOS BY LEAH MISSBACH DAY
Beginning Monday and continuing through March 7, Wheaton College in suburban Chicago will feature Assemble With Care: Bicycle Makers and Their Recipients in Zambia, a photo exhibition by Leah Missbach Day. This exhibit features Leah's incredible ability to capture every day life in documentary-style photographs. The photographs are on display at Adams Hall Gallery, 501 College Avenue in Wheaton. A reception is planned for Thursday evening, February 21, 7-9 p.m.; please contact us if you are interested in attending, so that we can help arrange groups for transportation. For more information about the show, call +1.630.752.5050 or visit http://www.wheaton.edu/art.


'STAR IN THE EAST' RAISES AWARENESS, FUNDS
December was a very busy month for World Bicycle Relief supporters, including Alexis Cole and a crew of New York volunteers. Alexis is an award-winning vocalist and the creator of "Star in the East: Jazz Christmas Celebration," held Dec. 11 at Sweet Rhythm in Manhattan. This benefit concert for World Bicycle Relief raised awareness and contributions, and according to Alexis was a magical night. Her two sets were recorded, and she will spend the next several months in the studio mixing a World Bicycle Relief benefit CD to be released in time for the holidays this year.


JEREMIAH BISHOP NAMED TO OLYMPIC 'LONG TEAM'
Friend of World Bicycle Relief Jeremiah Bishop, a professional mountain biker from Virginia, was recently named to the "long team" of athletes eligible to compete at this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing. Jeremiah is one of six mountain bike racers who will attempt to qualify for two available spots. Jeremiah's Trek/VW race team sported the World Bicycle Relief logo on its jersey last year, and Jeremiah personally volunteered his time to help us out, noting that the bicycle has given him so much in his life, that he feels a connection with the power it can bring the less fortunate. For more information, visit www.JeremiahBishop.com.
 


JOIN THE WRAPPER BRIGADE
Energy-bar maker Clif Bar and plant-food maker TerraCycle have joined forces to help reduce the number of energy bar wrappers that enter our nation's landfills, while educating people on the benefits of reusing waste materials.

Their program, dubbed the "Wrapper Brigade," will donate 2 cents to charity for every energy bar wrapper that is collected by individuals and organizations. The wrappers will be fused and woven into a strong material that will be used to make backpacks, gym totes and other products, which will be available for sale by next year. The program even provides postage-paid envelopes for submitting wrappers.

World Bicycle Relief is on the list of designated charities. If you or your workplace is interested in signing up to both help the environment and help provide bicycles to those who need them most, visit the program web site.

Sundays in February: Second Unitarian Church, Chicago

February 11 - March 7: Assemble With Care: Bicycle Makers and Their Recipients in Zambia, photo exhibition by Leah Missbach Day, Wheaton College
(Reception February 21, 7-9 p.m.)

March 29: Ride the Ridge MTB race, Charlottesville, Va.

March 30, April 6 and 13: Lombard Criterium bike races, Lombard, Ill.

April 12: Charlotte Race Fest Half Marathon, Charlotte, N.C.

April 13: Sylvan Island Stampede MTB race, Moline, Ill.

April 17-20: Sea Otter Festival, Monterey, Calif.

Hosting a World Bicycle Relief event? Please let us know! 

World Bicycle Relief was in attendance at Winter Bike to Work Day at Chicago's Daley Plaza on January 18, celebrating the coldest day ever in Chicago history. Needless to say, it was chilly!


Daley Plaza is in the heart of Chicago's Loop, and was a perfect place for a bike event in January!

Chris showed off the World Bicycle Relief bike and helped spread the word to hearty commuters. 

The press loves a spectacle, and the Channel 2 Morning News even featured the World Bicycle Relief bike.

Fueled by hot cocoa and coffee, Chicago bike commuters don't stop riding!

Special thanks to the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation for hosting the event, and to Ronit Bezalel for the photos.