At the bottom of this story are the two reasons I hope to see you at our 14th Annual Appreciation Party on Nov. 13th.

On Nov. 13th, I’ll kick off my 15th year at the Boise Bicycle Project. About a month later we’ll host our 15th Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway and donate our 10,350th bicycle. Honestly, I haven’t sat still long enough, until this moment, to give that a lot of thought. And as I write this, as I think about the last 14 years, all of the people that have made 10,350 bikes possible, and all the families experiencing joy and freedom on our bicycles… my thoughts can’t get past the gigantic question mark of WHAT’S NEXT?

I wish I could really focus on the countless memories of joy, smiles, tears and positive change in action, but I’m stuck on "what can I do in this very moment to help overcome and get the community through this giant freaking obstacle that seems determined to tear us apart?”

The nice thing about working at BBP is that, in these moments, I can always grab an unwanted broken kids bike, get my hands dirty, give it new life, and within a few days, it will be in the hands of child in need. Maybe a child who has never had a bike before. Or maybe a child who has received multiple BBP bikes in the last 14 years. I know I can at least make a difference for that kid.

Last week we donated a bicycle to a Anifa, a teenager who arrived in Boise as a refugee about a 6 years ago. This was the third bicycle we’d donated to Anifa, and we’d fixed her previous bicycles countless times during our mobile fix-it stops at her apartment complex over the last several years. Still, as I loaded her “new” bike into her car last week, I didn’t recognize her with her mask on… until she asked me where’s Ned? I immediately pulled out my phone and scrolled back about 14 month in my photo album. Ned’s at home, but check this out, do you recognize any of the kids in these photos.

Anifa started laughing. That’s me! And that’s my brother! That’s Omar! There’s Ned!!!

In the last three years, Anifa, her brother, and her friends at the apartment complex had met Ned four different times, and I had documentation of each one. In that moment, looking through the photos and laughing together, we both traveled down her, Ned’s, and I guess also my joint BBP adventure.

Somedays it’s hard to know what do next, and maybe the answer is just… do something. Do something beautiful for someone, anyone, just because you can. BBP is place that, for 14 years and with your help, has never stopped doing that.

This year we’ve (you, me, our staff, and our volunteers) overcome countless obstacles, yet again, to continue our work and investment into this community. Because you cared enough to keep trying, we’ve already fixed and distributed over 500 bikes this year, and will donate another 500-700 during the Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway. Because you haven’t stropped creating beauty, we’ve traveled to 40 apartment complexes and community centers in the last 8 months to fix over 700 bicycles for kids just like Anifa.

On November 13th, BBP will celebrate its 14th Annual Appreciation Party, and I will begin my 15th year as BBP’s Executive Director. The two reasons I want, hope, need to see you there…

1. I, personally, want to say thank you to everyone who found a way to do something, anything to support BBP and/or this community in the last year.

2. We, BBP’s team, need to get you ready and activated in the true beauty ahead.

I hope see you there.