Friday Roundup: The “Wait, It’s June Already?” Edition

So wait, it’s June? It seems like March was just last week. OK, calendar, you win. You always do. Exciting things are on the docket for Hands On Charlotte in June. The team is heading to New Orleans this weekend for a four-day conference. Stay tuned to the blog, Twitter and Facebook for updates. A summer intern will start at some point. And at the end of the month, we’re launching our new website.

And as usual, we have a long list of fun projects where you can volunteer in Charlotte. This weekend, we’re all set on Sunday, but we need you out volunteering tomorrow. Here are some open volunteer projects in Charlotte tomorrow:

• Mountain Biking with Kids: It’s that easy. You get to teach kids about bike safety and to go for a bike ride. If you’re a bike enthusiast, this project is for you.
• Assistance League Thrift Store: Sort through donations and prepare them for sale at the Assistance League Thrift Store. Fun-loving project for an amazing organization.
• Little Sugar Creek Community Garden: Have a green thumb? Do you wish you had a green thumb but you don’t have the space for a garden? Come help this awesome community garden near Uptown. The best part: you can take what you grow, and it’s free!

With a week left in school, we’re officially on summer watch. Amidst the vacations, pool visits and cookouts, don’t forget to keep volunteering throughout the summer. We’ll be here at Hands On Charlotte to keep the projects posted! Happy June, everyone!

Project gives kids chance to earn bikes

When the thermometer outside hits 65 degrees, I take my bike off the rack and pump up the tires. On a sunny day, nothing is better than a bike ride around the neighborhood or to the park. I’m 26 years old now, but I’ve felt this way since I captained that first tricycle.

Thanks to Santa and my family, I always had a bike growing up. Unfortunately, not everyone who wants a bike has one as a kid. But that’s what makes one of our projects this week special.

On Tuesday, volunteers from Goodrich’s Environmental, Health and Safety Department purchased and assembled 10 new mountain bikes. Through Trips For Kids Charlotte, kids in at-risk neighborhoods will have the opportunity to earn a free bike in exchange for completing lessons in bike mechanics and safety.

From that first tricycle to the hybrid hanging on my wall, bikes have always fed a sense of freedom and independence in me. Thank you to Goodrich and Trips For Kids Charlotte for giving some kids the chance to earn that feeling.