BTR launches search for Executive Director

Bikes To Rwanda would like to announce that current Executive Director, Clara Seasholtz has decided to move on to new endeavors beginning January 2010. Clara has held the position since the organizations inception in 2006. Clara led the way in building new relationships on the ground in Rwanda, opening four bike shops and sending 400 bikes to Rwanda. We are all proud of the work Clara has done to make BTR a recognized and successful non-profit around the world and we wish her the very best in her future endeavors.

Bikes To Rwanda is launching a search for a new Executive Director. Coffee farmers in Rwanda are still in need of bikes, there are new shops to build and stock as well as existing ones to maintain communication with. The potential for this project is just being realized and the opportunities to grow it are bountiful. If you are interested in learning more about this exciting opportunity please take a moment to view the job description.

Thank you,

BTR

The Artcrank poster show in Portland on October 1st was an overwhelming success! From Charles Youel, the curator: "My best estimate is that something like 500 people came through The Cleaners and The Ace Hotel to enjoy the opening weekend of Oregon Manifest with a little free Pabst, check out a cool display of Keen and Chrome products, gaze in amazement at 29 super-cool posters – many printed by the rock stars Seizure Palace – and take home their favorites. I’m pleased to announced that thanks to your awesome work, we raised $1,000 for Bikes To Rwanda...As someone who lives for bikes and coffee, this a cause I'm proud to support." The San Francisco show, October 24th at Chrome, promises to be something pretty special too. A few of our old friends will be in the mix there including Jeff Hantman, Stevil Kinevil and Willie K. Bullion as well as many other talented, local artists.

Bike To Work Day

BTR was out at the crack of dawn this morning welcoming new as well as seasoned bike commuters. Jonathan Maus from bikeportland.org gave us a nice little nod in his piece which you can view here.

I'd like to thank everyone that stopped by the table and chatted with us. I really look forward to continuing those conversations soon as we move BTR to the next level.

Thank you for your continued support and we'll see you on the streets.

NEW! T-Shirts at BuyOlympia.com

BuyOlympia.com started in Olympia, WA in 1999 as a way to help their friends sell their awesome handmade items online. In July of 2008 they moved to Portland, OR and that's where we found them. Bikes To Rwanda is proud to say that BuyOlympia.com is the exclusive seller of BTR gear. We hope to have cycling caps available soon. They will be handmade and screened in Portland by Little Package.

So, go check them out and while you're there take a look at some of the other great stuff they carry including Queen Bee bags out of Portland, Nikki McClure from Olympia and McSweeney's.

Also, stay tuned for upcoming BTR events in Portland and the Bay Area this summer.

PDX Cafe Bike Tour!

Bikes to Rwanda is happy to present a Portland tour of cafes in conection with the United States Barista Championships this Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6th. The bike tour will showcase some of the finest cafes in P-town over the course of two day of riding. Thursday's tour will start at the Oregon Convention Center at 3:00 pm and will wind through northwest portland and end in southeast at the Bakery Bar on southeast Water Ave at 6pm just in time for the welcome to portland party.

Day two will also start at the convention Center and sample some of the finest northeast portland coffee house flavor. Wrapping up at the downtown Stumptown cafe at 6pm before a final ride to the semi-finalist's happy hour at Holocene in southeast PDX.

The ride will be open to everyone and is free to everyone. Please come and tour our fabulaous city by bike and ask us about Bikes to Rwanda.

Enjoy.

Healthy People, Healthy Places

I spoke in Richard White's Healthy People, Healthy Places class again, this is the 5th time one of use from BTR has presented in this class and the students, all sophomores, always have great questions. 

This time they were working with logic models and using the models to form their questions to me. They wrapped up with an Output vs Outcomes listing exercise that I took notes on and that showed that we are on the right track. Essentially our Outputs are the bikes shops, quality coffee and increased income. Our Outcomes are increased quality of life, higher prices paid for coffee and local economic stimulus. 

Our next class presentation will be at Lincoln High School and we will be talking to the International Studies group on campus. That's February 25th. That evening we will be tabling at the screening of As We Forgive, a documentary about healing the wounds caused by the 1994 Rwandan genocide.