Pedals for Progress Has Another Successful Year in South Brunswick

The recent Pedals for Progress drive had another stellar year in South Brunswick thanks to the help of volunteers and donations from the community. 

The annual collection at South Brunswick High School gathered 77 bikes, 8 sewing machines, and $2,830 in monetary donations to help with shipping costs.  

"I would like to thank the SBHS custodians for their help in opening the building, setting up tables, and wheeling down about 30 bikes for us from the storage area," said Constable Elementary School second grade teacher Devon Smith, who coordinates the drive in South Brunswick.

The program, which began in 1991, was started locally in 1999 by South Brunswick High School math teacher Larry Witlen, a former Peace Corps volunteer.  Witlen, who retired last year, attended a Peace Corps convention with displays on some of the projects volunteers were running and decided to bring Pedals for Progress to South Brunswick. 

The donated bikes are auctioned off for a small amount, which is then used to operate a bike shop to handle repairs and maintenance. Those who can’t afford to pay for a bike can work off the fee in the bike store.  This also helps teach those who buy the bikes to fix it themselves. 

The program has sent over 125,000 bicycles, 1,000 used sewing machines and $10.8 million in new spare parts to partner charities in 32 developing countries. 

Last year in South Brunswick, the group collected 108 bicycles, $1,260 in monetary donations, 20 sewing machines and three bags of soccer equipment. Pedals for Progress has also raised $17,000 locally to help defray the approximately $30 to $40 per bike shipping cost.

To help with the financial difficulties, the South Brunswick Education Association's Pride Committee was able to secure a $2,000 grant from the NJEA to help pay for the shipping cost.

Earlier this year, the SBEA Pride committee ran a cleat exchange, where families could donate used soccer, baseball, and football cleats, while also taking cleats home for free. About 70 pairs of cleats were left over and were donated to Pedals for Progress as well.  

Smith praised the help of SBHS custodians Michael Murphy and Anthony LaBarbera, South Brunswick teachers Kathy Fekete, Mariola Lawnick and Carol Kling, South Brunswick student Marissa Modi, South Brunswick teachers' spouses Mason Smith and Lisa Witlen.

"I would also like to thank Steve Schiff, my liaison at the high school, and the members of the girls' track team who handed out notices of the collection in their neighborhoods," Smith added. "Finally, thank you to everyone in the community who donated to this year's collection."