Ryan Loitz, currently a Life Scout with Boy Scouts Troop 16 in Sycamore, recently donated 20 adult bicycles along with new helmets and bike locks to Safe Passage as part of his Eagle Scout Project, “Recycle Your Cycle: For a Wheelie Good Cause”. Ryan organized a community bike drive this spring which collected gently-used adult and youth bicycles and a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser to raise money to pay for new parts, tires, rims, and repairs, and to purchase new helmets and locks to donate with the bikes. He then arranged several work days to repair and clean the bikes with the help of Jason Cowan with Blue Moon Bikes and Troop 16, Aaron Nevdal with Axletree, and fellow scouts and friends. Ryan explains, “The original goal for this project was to collect about 50 bikes. I’m excited to say we collected 113 bikes total! With the expertise of Mr. Cowan, my dad Jeff Loitz, and other volunteers, we’ve had numerous repair days and probably spent over a combined 45 hours repairing the bikes to safe and working condition.” Ryan has committed over 250 combined hours so far on his Eagle project and enlisted over 50 volunteers including fellow Troop 16 scouts, friends, family, local businesses, and community members. Ryan is planning a few more donations to local organizations in the near future.
With the help of Ryan’s family, friends, and Aaron Nevdal with Axletree, a non-profit organization that promotes cycling advocacy and community awareness, they delivered 20 adult bikes with new helmets and locks to Lynnea Laskowski with Safe Passage. Ryan comments, “We’ve been working on this project since January and it’s very satisfying to have these bicycles ready to donate. I’m glad my project and the Axletree organization are able help provide an inexpensive, safe, and healthy way of transportation for clients at Safe Passage.” Lynnea is the Abuse Intervention Service Coordinator with Safe Passage in DeKalb and comments, “We are so pleased and thankful to receive these bikes! They will provide a way to get to work and other places for many of our clients and we will be distributing these bikes to our clients this week. We are grateful to be recipients and part of his Eagle project!” Safe Passage, located in DeKalb, helps women and men in abusive relationships and offers shelter, counseling, and support for those needing assistance. For more information about Safe Passage, please visit their web site at: www.safepassagedv.org or call the 24 hour hotline at 815.756.5228.
Ryan would like to thank the following for their support and assistance in this phase of his Eagle project: Go Mini’s Portable Storage and Blackhawk Moving and Storage, Jason Cowan, Blue Moon Bikes, Aaron Nevdal, Axletree, Northern Rehab Physical Therapy Specialists, Sycamore United Methodist Church and Life Missions, Troop 16 friends and families, and the community for their donations and assistance in making this project such a success. Upon completion of “Recycle Your Cycle”, Ryan will soon begin the process of completing his Eagle Rank, the highest rank achievable in Boy Scouts.
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