January 2026

In this newsletter...

1. International Updates
2. Working Bikes on WGN
3. We are Hiring!
4. Annual Meeting - February 4th, 6:30 PM
5. Fix-It Series
6. Youth Interns in the Shop

The first month of 2026 is finishing up, and we have hit the ground rolling! We have just finished loading our first container heading to the Village Bicycle Project in Sierra Leone, with big thanks to those who braved the cold to get it packed. It is also time for our Annual Meeting, where we will be holding our board elections. It is on February 4th 6:30p - 8p and everyone is welcome to attend. Working Bikes members will vote to approve or reject the slate of Board Members and Officers. We are also HIRING for a new position, a Volunteer Capacity Building Mechanic who will help bolster the volunteers' mechanic skills in Brandon's Bike Shop and help build bikes for our Cycle of Power and Cycle of Peace local donation programs. And the last week of our Fix-It series is just ahead, led by board member Allison! Volunteers have been able to come in and improve their mechanic skills through 4 different sessions, most of which were completely full. Want a taste of Working Bikes outside of the shop? We were featured on WGN-9 Spotlight Chicago talking about our international work, check out the full interview here!
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And while it's just the start of the new year for us, it's the end of an era for some good friends of ours. Pam and Larry Faulkner at Green Bay Cycles are hanging up their wrenches and heading into retirement, closing the shop February 28th. They have been a bike collection spot for WB for over a dozen years, and we are so grateful for their ongoing support. More bikes come in to Working Bikes from our incredible collection partners -- mostly bike shops -- than any other source, and though we hate to lose the partnership, we wish the Faulkners and GBC staff nothing but the best as they ride on.

Farewell Colette! We Are Hiring!

Working Bikes is hiring! Our volunteer crew has been stewarded by our wonderful Community Programs Manager, Colette, for the past three years. She's been the force connecting thousands of people in need of transportation to Cycle of Power bicycles (plus locks, helmets, and lights); she's welcomed volunteers to our volunteer space, Brandon's Bike Shop and after learning mechanics herself at WB has passed on her skills to hundreds of new wrenches; and she's brought in scores of volunteer groups to prep bikes and help load dozens of containers for our international partners. We can't say enough nice things about her time with Working Bikes!

Next month, Colette will move on to make an impact on the environment and sustainability from a new angle. We will wish her well and miss her terribly, but all is not lost! Our Community Bike Repairs Manager, Ricardo, will be the new point person for our Cycle of Power Program, now taking charge of production and distribution of the bikes that he and the Service Department team have been responsible for safety checking and tuning up the last few years. And our newly minted Manager of Engagement, Finn, will step in to recruit volunteers and guide the back end of our volunteer program.

That leaves space for a new position at Working Bikes, one focused on building up our next generation of volunteer mechanics and improving the skills of the already amazing folks working in Brandon's Bike Shop. The Volunteer Capacity Building Mechanic will work with our dedicated volunteer base, giving them more bike mechanic skills and getting them more comfortable in our volunteer shop. We are looking for someone who is a talented mechanic interested in improving the skills of Working Bikes volunteers, creating a positive inclusive volunteer environment and experience, and assisting in meeting the needs of the Cycle of Power / Cycle of Peace local donation program and international donation programs by marshalling volunteer support.
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2026 Annual Meeting

It’s that time of year again, when we gather as a community for our Annual Meeting on Wednesday, February 4th from 6:30pm-8:00pm (with a potluck from 6:00pm-6:30pm) at the shop! Working Bikes holds General Meetings every other month to hear from local and international partners about their work, get updates from community members, and check in with staff about operations. The Annual Meeting is similar, but also includes elections for our Board. One of the many things that makes Working Bikes a special place is its organizational structure. We are a membership organization, meaning we have a class of stakeholders (staff, board members, collection sites, and volunteers who are “giving an average of at least four hours per month at Working Bikes for six consecutive months or 48 hours total during 12 consecutive months”) who have rights within the organization, including the right to vote on our Board Slate. Our Nominating Committee-- a group of volunteers, staff, and board members -- has been soliciting statements of interest by current and prospective board members, submitted a proposed slate of candidates to the Board for discussion and approval. The Board approved the Slate in its January meeting, and now the General Membership will vote on the Slate to approve the group, or send the process back to the Nominating Committee for additional review. Our all volunteer board consists primarily of extremely involved volunteers and has no fundraising requirement for service, just a commitment to our mission and time to dedicate to the cause. And we deeply appreciate their service!

While all are welcome to attend our Annual and General Meetings, only Working Bikes members are allowed to vote to approve or reject the Slate. The volunteer membership list is posted on the bottom of the "Get Involved" page on our website. We hope to see many of our volunteers and community members at the Annual Meeting to kick off the new year with some good food and good company.

Fix-It Series in Brandon's

Working Bikes offers six drop-in style volunteer sessions each week, which give folks the flexibility to drop in when it is most convenient for their schedule! Drop-in sessions allow for that flexibility on the volunteer side, but can be limited on the training side -- we rely heavily on experienced volunteers to pass down their knowledge to volunteers in training. Staff capacity to lead dedicated training sessions is limited as well, so specific training programming has fluctuated throughout the years.

Late last Summer, our amazing volunteer and Board Member Allison kick-started a mini “fix-it” series where volunteers could spend an hour learning about a specific topic, like headsets. The series was popular enough to bring it back for round two, which kicked off earlier this month! The first week was an introductory course demonstrating how to fix a flat and troubleshoot shifting issues. In week two, the crew learned all about headsets and overhauling bearing systems. Week three was all about bottom brackets, the different kinds one might encounter in Brandon’s, and of course, how to overhaul them! The last session will be on Tuesday, February 3rd at 6pm and folks will get to learn everything (within reason) about hubs! Volunteers with more skills can refurbish more bikes that will get to people who need them through our Cycle of Power program -- the bikes are waiting! We hope to host more fix-it sessions and miniseries in the future, especially incorporating some of our production mechanics and other motivated volunteers and Board Members! Stay tuned!