- “I thought I’d go in, get a cheap bike and leave. 18 months later, I’m still volunteering here…”
- SFYBP Volunteer, Thomas Treffry
We took some time to chat with one of our regular volunteers, Thomas, about his experience at SFYBP-
Here’s what he had to say:
How did you get involved with SFYBP?
Shortly after moving to SF, I realized I needed a bike to get around. I did community bike shop research, because I couldn’t afford to spend a lot. I ended up taking a visit to the shop and before I knew it, agreed to a volunteer trade to learn the mechanics for fixing and building bikes. I thought I’d go in, get a cheap bike and leave; 18 months later, I’m still volunteering here.
Describe your experience as a volunteer for SFYBP. How often do you volunteer?
I usually volunteer once a week. I was really unaware of how much bike mechanics interested me until I started with SFYBP. I started to really value the skills and learning offered to me from Nathan and Mary Kay. It’s a great group of people working for a good cause.
What about SFYBP’s mission inspires you?
From my eyes, SFYBP gives people access to bikes that would not otherwise have it. Getting more people on bikes is not only good for the environment and for health purposes, but it also provides a quicker way to get around than say, using public transit.
What is your most meaningful/memorable moment from your time as a volunteer at SFYBP?
There was a couple that came into the shop that was cycling from San Francisco to Mexico… They built their bikes in the shop, rode to Mexico, donated the bikes to children in Mexico and then flew themselves back. I was able to see all of the hard work that went into that, which was really awesome.
*Thomas is 24 years old and works full-time in the service industry. He has two years of biking interest and experience under his belt and is a regular volunteer at SFYBP.
