Trek Santa Barbara and MOVE Santa Barbara County Partner for Community Bike Build to Empower Local Youth and Schools
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Santa Barbara, CA – August 28, 2024 – Trek Santa Barbara and MOVE Santa Barbara County are thrilled to announce a dynamic partnership to provide bikes to schools in an ongoing effort to include bicycle education as part of school physical education curriculum. This collaboration will kick off with a large-scale bike build event with bikes going to Carpinteria Middle School and the Goleta Union School District.
The bike build will take place at Trek Santa Barbara’s Goleta location, bringing together volunteers and employees from both Trek Santa Barbara and MOVE. This hands-on event will result in the assembly of dozens of high-quality bikes. Funding for the bikes was provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety and sponsored by the cities of Goleta and Carpinteria.
“This bike build is a unique opportunity to bring our community together in support of our youth,” said Jerry Ferraro, Manager of Trek Santa Barbara. “We’re excited to work alongside MOVE’s dedicated team and volunteers to make a tangible impact on children’s lives by giving them the tools to embrace cycling as a fun, healthy, and sustainable mode of transportation.”
MOVE’s programs teach essential bicycle skills. During the 2023-24 school year, MOVE taught 6.400 students safe riding skills with over 1,600 students learning how to ride a bike for the first time. MOVE also distributed over 800 bicycle helmets. In 2024, MOVE, through their community bike shop, Bici Centro, refurbished 400 bicycles destined for landfills and provided them at low-cost to the public as well as repaired 1,500 bikes ensuring community members always had a safe ride.
By providing bikes through this event, Trek Santa Barbara and MOVE aim to break down barriers to active and sustainable transportation, ensuring children are taught how to ride and learn essential safety skills at a young age.
“Our youth are our future, and we believe there’s no better way to teach responsibility and independence than by providing them with bicycles,” said MOVE Executive Director, Heather Deutsch. “This bike build is about more than just assembling bikes; it’s about building a foundation for healthier, more active lives.”
The bike build is a key component of the partnership’s broader mission, which follows the Safe Routes to School model. By engaging students, families, and school leaders, MOVE addresses barriers to biking and walking, ensures initiatives benefit all demographics, and works with city officials to create safer communities for students walking and bicycling. The goal is to encourage youth to take active roles in their communities, from biking and walking to school to advocating for safer streets. Following a partnership with the Santa Maria Bonita School District, wherein the District has now adopted bicycle education as a component of physical education in all 21 schools, MOVE is committed to having school districts throughout the county adopt the program.
Trek Santa Barbara will also contribute ongoing support, including maintenance services and educational workshops, to ensure that the bikes continue to be a source of joy and empowerment. These workshops, held at Trek Santa Barbara’s location and at local schools, will teach students bike safety, maintenance, and the benefits of an active lifestyle.
“Trek Santa Barbara’s involvement is vital.” said Heather Deutsch. “With their generous support and the efforts of our incredible staff and volunteers, we can ensure these bikes are ready to empower the next generation of youth.”
This partnership is part of Trek Santa Barbara’s ongoing commitment to community wellness and sustainability. By working together with MOVE, Trek Santa Barbara hopes to inspire a new generation of cyclists and foster a lifelong appreciation for the joy of biking.
For more information about the bike build, the Trek Santa Barbara and MOVE partnership, and how to get involved, please visit Trekbikes.com or movesbcounty.org.
About Trek Santa Barbara:
Trek Santa Barbara is a leading retailer of high-quality bicycles, accessories, and gear, dedicated to supporting local initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles and environmental responsibility.
About MOVE Santa Barbara County:
MOVE is a nonprofit organization who educates, empowers and advocates for people who walk, bicycle and take public transit. They provide pedestrian and bicycle education in schools throughout the county and run two community bicycle shops.