After more than a year as a 100% volunteer organization, FCCB received an incredible and unexpected gift this year – a grant to pay staff costs!!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone already knows we <3 the volunteers who not only opened our doors, but walked back through them hundreds of times to do even more. Now, on top of that strong foundation, we have two part-timers who manage their respective duties with intelligence and wonderful humor. OMG the luxury. Like a thousand ice creams. Like a dream within a dream. Fabulous. If only we could thank our anonymous angel donor….hopefully this message will reach him/her…
Please welcome these guys to the community! Aren’t they spectacular?!
How long have you been the Administration and Development Coordinator?
Just started on November 1st!
Tell us a little about how you got involved with FCCBikeworks and what you are responsible for in your current position.
I am a musician who “gigs” with Isabella. She had been telling me about the shop and I was intrigued. So one Saturday I rode over for a visit. I had a blast, learned a lot, and basically fell in love with the place, it’s people and it’s mission. When Bella told me they were looking for someone to help her and John with a variety of tasks, I asked them to consider me for the job. While I have only recently started working for FCCBikeworks, we are already getting a good idea of how to distribute responsibilities pertaining to membership, marketing, grants and outreach. It’s a real adventure because while there already are so many things to do, there are also many new things we could do exploring ideas that John and Isabella are envisioning for the growth and stability of FCCBikeworks.
Why do you think the services a community bike shop provides are important and how does that inform your work?
I really appreciate the focus on education that is the foundation of FCCBikeworks’ mission, but I also really am inspired by the way other areas of social advocacy intersect with this organization – alternative transportation, social justice, sustainability, public health. It definitely makes it feel more “interdisciplinary” than other nonprofits I’ve been connected with.
What kind of bike(s) do you ride?
I am a leisurely rider and like to “tool around” on an old Schwinn (a pretty blue) that I had fixed up a couple of years ago to suit my more relaxed approach to pedaling.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not in the shop?
Well music would have to be first on the list of other things I enjoy. I am a violinist and play both classical music and gypsy jazz, so that get’s me around quite a bit. But I also get a kick out of dancing of various kinds and hiking when I can find the time, and often there is a good beer involved!
How long have you been the Shop Mechanic coordinator?
I got hired in September so I’ve been at it for a few months now.
Tell us a little about how you got involved with FCCBikeworks and what you are responsible for in your current position.
I met John (one of FCCBikeworks’ co-founders) in 2013 when I was pretty fresh to Louisville and he was interested in getting a bike co-op going. I have been working with bikes since I was in college and had volunteered at a few bike co-ops when I lived in Boston for a short amount of time so I was happy to help. It seemed crazy to both of us that Louisville had such a large community of bicyclists and no place like FCCBikeworks. We tried out a lot of different ideas including trying to revive an old bike co-op but nothing really worked out, then he met Bella who was interested in helping and they found a space and started FCCBikeworks. I’d been volunteering as a shop mechanic since day one, as well as helping do other stuff such as organize the shop, place orders, and attend events. When we got a large grant at the beginning of this year it gave me the opportunity to officially work here and spend a lot more time re-organizing the shop and to be available as a mechanic during all of our open hours. In a place like this there is ALWAYS something to do, even if it is just fixing up some of the old bikes in the back room or sorting out components.
Why do you think the services a community bike shop provides are important and how does that inform your work?
Working on your bike by yourself as an amateur can be confusing and intimidating, and a lot of the more specific tools are very expensive. Shops like FCCBikeworks fix both of those problems. When you have an experienced mechanic to guide you through the process of fixing your bike then you never have to worry about screwing something up and making it worse. It’s very empowering and it’s also a lot less expensive than going to a shop every time you need to change a flat tube or adjust your brakes.
What kind of bike(s) do you ride?
I have a lot a bikes: a single speed that I built up a few years back, a hybrid commuter, a mountain bike, etc., but my favorite and the one I ride most often is a LOOK KG96 – an old carbon road bike that was made in ’88 or ’89. I lucked out and bought it in college from a friend’s dad who used to own a bike shop, it’s been my primary bike since. Every now and then I try to switch it up and ride something else but I always come back to this one because it’s just so fast and comfortable.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not riding or fixing bikes?
In my free time I like to do creative stuff like play music and work on compiling zines. I go to the indoor climbing gym a few times a week, and when it’s nice outside I try to play soccer and ultimate frisbee. Otherwise I just do the usual stuff like read, watch TV shows and listen to music – I have a lot of friends in bands around town so I try to catch some live music at least once a week.