Chicago Conservation Corps Blog » Volunteer

Dirty Hands at Working Bikes Cooperative

Tom R. — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:58:46 +0000

Content Creator, including photographs: C3 Blogger Tom from www.letUbeU.com

Working Bikes Cooperative is a non-profit organization in Chicago devoted to the motto: Reduce Reuse Recycle. They collect neglected bikes and tune them up to reuse & sell. The revenue is used to ship the remaining bikes to different corners of planet earth so that a poor person in Tanzania, Guatemala, or Peru can get to work and make money to feed his family.

Stored in a warehouse, they appear as a sea of bikes. There are old bikes, and older bikes. Rusty bikes, and dirty bikes. Bikes without wheels, and bikes with banana seats. Some bikes are blue, others have a white basket. Everywhere you look…bikes, bikes, bikes.

On Tuesday January 31, two trainees with the Chicago Conservation Corps (myself & Ben) attended Volunteer Night, which happens every Tuesday night. We immediately noticed the benefits of volunteering at Working Bikes, including:

1. Free food

2. Learning the skills to fix my own bike

3. Finding inspiration from the numerous posters (left)

Ben and I removed axels from tires for 2 hours while other volunteers fixed chains, polished metal, and attached pedals. All of these bikes are on their way to helping a good cause. Unfortunately, the demand for bikes is much higher than the rate at which they can be repaired, so volunteers are in high demand. Volunteering is simple. Go to the store or call during business hours and notify a staff member that you wish to lend a helping hand.

We want to warn you though, being kind can sometimes be dirty. Bike repair is accompanied by oil & grease, so wear appropriate clothing and prepare for dirty hands. Thank you for reading, and don’t forget, Reduce Reuse Recycle.

Working Bikes Cooperative Volunteer Night, Jan 31st, 5PM

Sameera — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:38:15 +0000

Explore Bike Maintenance

Tuesday, January 31st

5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Working Bikes, 2434 S. Western Ave

No registration necessary. For more information, contact volunteer@workingbikes.org.

Come out and learn about bike maintenance at Working Bikes, a local non-profit that diverts bicycles from the waste stream by repairing them for sale and charity. Have a fun-filled night and learn how to keep any bike running smoothly.

Featured Event! Friends of the Parks MLK Jr. Service Day at Whistler Woods, Jan 16th, 9AM

Sameera — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:29:34 +0000

Explore Outdoor Stewardship

Monday, January 16th

Whistler Woods, S Halsted St & W 134th St.

9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

RSVP to Mary Eileen Sullivan at sullivanme@fotp.org.

Join Friends of the Parks and Calumet Is My Backyard (C.I.M.B.Y.) at Whistler Woods to celebrate Martin Luther King Day by providing stewardship work. Volunteers will be doing various outdoor stewardship activities to restore the woods. Dress in layers and be prepared to get your hands dirty.

Happy New Year! Check Out Our January Featured Events

Sameera — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:20:21 +0000

C3 Leader Tameka Flowers: Getting 2 Know Green 101- Clean Up and Workshop, July 30

Britt — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 21:12:35 +0000

Getting 2 Know Green
Saturday, July 30
Meet at 13th and Homan
11:00-3:00
RSVP required: paperwerx4you@gmail.com

Join neighbors and organizations from the North Lawndale Community for Getting 2 Know Green 101.
Provide a clean up to the area near the Douglass Branch Library, 13th
Street Play Lot, CYC Community Center, and Village West Housing
Development. Win a free paper recycling bin designed by artists from Paperwerx Inc. and Neuro Kitchen Arts Collaborative.
Free Lunch and Discussion….All Ages Welcome!!!
Find us on Facebook

Volunteer at the North Avenue Beach Clean Up and Join Forces with Alliance for the Great Lakes and the Global Alliance of Artists, Saturday, July 23, 9:00-11:00 am

Britt — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:08:09 +0000

Saturday July 23, August13, and September 10, 2011

What We Worry About: Chicago Writers on Protecting Our Beaches

Beach pollution caused 18,682 closings and swimming advisory days at ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches in 2009. You can help! Take action through these beach clean-up events and hear the inspirational readings of Chicago writers about the importance of our beaches. Clean-ups will occur on Saturday, July 23rd, August 13th, and September 10th. Attend one or all events from 9:00-11:00 am at North Avenue Beach.

If you would like to participate, please RSVP at with Catherine Game at catherine.game@gmail.com. For more information visit www.globalallianceartists.org.

Explore the Dunning Read Conservation Area, Saturday, July 9

Britt — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:57:02 +0000

Photo credit: Chicago Wilderness

Saturday, July 9
Dunning Read Conservation Area Restoration Workday
Southeast corner of Oak Park Ave and Irving Park Ave
9:00 am-12:00 pm

Join Friends of the Parks and neighbors from the Dunning area for an exciting stewardship event in this beautiful nature oasis located in the heart of Chicago’s northwest side. Be prepared to remove invasive plants, build a trail and spruce up the conservation area. A nature hike will be offered at 10:00 AM. Tools and gloves will be provided. Dress appropriately for the weather.

RSVP Required. Email Mary Eileen Sullivan at sullivanme@fotp.org

Explore Environmental Service! Check Out July’s Featured Events!

Britt — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:55:28 +0000

Download the flyer for your corkboard

Make Your Conservation Efforts Count! Document Your Work With STEW-MAP

Britt — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:10:16 +0000

The United States Forest Service is reaching out to environmental stewardship groups (formal and informal) throughout the region to find out about them and where they are working. There is a long history of stewardship in the greater Chicago region but this is the first effort to try to pull together information on every environmental group or organization. We will create a region-wide map that shows who is working where.

Why participate in Chicago Stew-MAP?

Ø Promote your stewardship work by putting your group’s website/contact info on the stewardship map for potential volunteers, funders, and others to see;
Ø Make sure your group or organization gets credit for the environmental stewardship work you are doing;
Ø See where stewardship is occurring—and where it isn’t;
Ø Find out about and connect with other stewards;
Ø Help us understand the groups and organizations that are doing environmental stewardship in our region.

C3 and CSI talk with WBEZ about Hegewisch Marsh

Britt — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:45:12 +0000

Joann Podkul of CSI

Check out this great coverage of C3 and Calumet Stewardship Initiative volunteers working in vernal pools at Hegewisch Marsh over the weekend. Michael Puente from WBEZ joined us to help uncover the great restoration and open space preservation work happening in the area.

Greencorps Calumet

This work would not be possible without the dedicated investment and leadership from community leaders (who are also C3 leaders) like Joann Podkul and Kevin Murphy of the Calumet Stewardship Initiative, Sharon Rolek of the Calumet Ecological Park Association and many more. Thank you to everyone that helped to make the day a great experience for all!

Vernal pool planting

To get involved in stewardship opportunities throughout Chicago in unique and beautiful nature areas right in your backyard, visit the C3 event calendar