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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2011)
S eptem ber 2I, 2 0 II Minority & Small Business Week Changing the Face of Biking continued from page 15 “Working or volunteering at the Bike Station allows people to have stability.” said Sims, “And it’s ajob everybody can do.” One man. Matt Hilton. 60, says if it w eren’t for Sims offering him a jo b as a church handym an and donating a mobile trailer for him to stay in, he may still have been broke, ho m eless and abusing drugs and alcohol. “Bishop is the one and only person I’ve seen reach into his own pocket to help someone else,” said Hilton, who has now been clean and sober for the past seven years. He calls Sims his best friend. W hen Hilton found out that Sims planned to remodel the space where the bike station came into existence, he was the first on the scene to offer a hand. “This place was a dum p,” said H ilton, “W e redid the w hole thing.” Though the church paid for the project and Naito supplied the b uilding, the entire place needed to be gutted and restored. r PHOTO BY C a RI H a CHM A N N /T h E PORTLAND OBSERVER Bishop K. Sims (left) helps many of his employees and volunteers through rough times in their life. At the Portland Bike Station, he gives them the opportunity to get job experience and have stable work while they get back on their feet. Two years, 900 tiles, lots o f tion was born. carpet, and one new sprinkler sys- Open Monday through Friday tern later, the Portland Bike Sta- from 7 in the morning to 7 at night, customers can choose from one of 50 or so donated and purchased bikes for rent at an hourly or daily Page 3 f charge. Bike parking is offered at a monthly rate of $65, weekly $20, and daily $ 10, with discounts for Dekum Building tenants. While the daily commuters park their bike for the day at the shop, they can also get their bike serviced by two in-house technicians, from minor to full-maintenance repairs. Drew Wright, a technician who road his bike from New York to Port land said, “Safety is the most impor tant thing, 1 make sure everything is completely safe before I return it.” Though the Portland Bike Sta tion has transformed dramatically into a fully-functional bike shop, it’s not quite up to par yet. Bike parts are in short supply and need to be ordered for many of the repairs. Luckily, Sim s’ team of five paid employees and numerous volun teers are dedicated to and making sure the shop is a success and are writing several grants to find money to buy more parts. “What do you give someone that gave you everything?” said Hilton, speaking of Sims, his business part ner for the past four years. Though recovery comes first for Hilton, his heart is in the Bike Station. “My dream is to see my buddy get his dream- and that’s my dream also.” O J J rw iij HI 2011 . ? H ri? i -M v g s g g ! Procurement Services Greg Wolley: 503.823.6860, greg.wolley@portlandoregon.gov Loretta Young: 503.823.6850, loretta.young@portlandoregon.gov Gene Jackson: 503.823.9166, gene.jackson@portlandoregon.gov w w w . p o r t l a n d o n l i n e . c o m / o m f / p u r c h a s in g
