Viking Volunteers seek bikes for foreign nations
BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

The bicycle has been called the most efficient machine on Earth, with the power going into it being nearly equal to the power coming out of it. For many, especially in countries where cars are luxuries, it is also the primary form of transportation, rushing students to school, doctors to patients and commuters to work.

But sometimes, even bikes can be difficult to come by, and it is with this in mind that South Brunswick High School's Viking Volunteers are performing their annual bike drive to send these machines to places where bikes may not be available.

The charity that the students are working on behalf of, Pedals for Progress, devotes itself to sending bicycles to regions where people may not normally have access.

"It could make the difference between whether a kid can go to school because of the time it takes to get to school, or make or break a business," said Larry Wittlin, the faculty adviser for the Viking Volunteers.

The Viking Volunteers, a student volunteer club at South Brunswick High School, have been collecting donated bikes, which are stored in empty rooms in the school. So far, they have 51 slated for shipment to various countries such as Moldova, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka and Honduras.

On June 10, they and other students will be meeting at the high school to disassemble the bikes to allow easier shipping. They will be loosening the handlebars and removing the pedals so they can fit as many bikes as possible into each container. Last year, the club collected and shipped 168 bikes this way.

Once the bikes are shipped to their respective country, a repair shop on that side puts the bikes back together, and people then make small bids on them. Bikes with larger tires, such as mountain bikes, tend to get shipped to more rural areas while bikes with thinner tires tend to get sent to more urban areas.

According to Wittlin, because the students did so well last year, this year he has given them a lot more responsibility, letting the students handle things that, during previous years, he had handled himself.

"They did a great job last year, and I'm giving them more tasks to do this year; and so far, they've been stepping up the plate really well," said Wittlin.

The students working on the project, around 20 in number, have been putting together a feature for the school's television network as well as contacting outside media. Wittlin said that there is also a larger number of people working to disassemble the bikes than there were last year.

The Viking Volunteers are still looking for bikes and help with the shipping effort.

Anybody interested in donating a bike or sewing machine, or who would like to help with transport, can go to the gym area lot on the June 10 from 12-3 p.m. Those who would like to help with shipping may donate $10 to defray those costs.

Those who wish to donate a bike before June 10 should contact Wittlin at the high school at (732) 329-4044, ext. 7102.