community bicycle shop omaha
ON THIS WEBSITE
LOCATION MAP, HOURS OF OPERATION and CONTACT
525 north 33rd street, omaha (click for map)
WEDNESDAYS 6.00pm to 8.00pm and SATURDAYS 12.00pm to 4.00pm
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August 16, 5.00pm to 7.00pm
ANNUAL BIKE AUCTION
Every summer we sell the coolest bicycles donated to us to cover utilities and other expenses through the Winter months. We need your help to build or prepare bicycles for the auction, creating or obtaining works of art related to bicycles/bicycling, obtaining donated food and other event preparation work and cleanup afterwards. Contact Lynn at lynnbeha@yahoo.com using the subject line "Bike Auction" if you can help.
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CBSO Volunteer Shift Scheduling Calendar (For directions on how to schedule yourself for a shift, click here.)
Thanks for your interest in volunteering at CBSO. The content which follows will outline the basic volunteer roles, including a description of the purpose of each volunteer position and key points necessary to ensure that the shop is operating safely and efficiently for everyone involved.
THE PRIMARY VOLUNTEER ROLES
OPENING AND CLOSING
These activities are obviously vital for effective and safe functioning of the shop. The hours listed below provide an example of what tasks are necessary for opening and closing the shop on a Saturday.
11.30am to 12.00pm
1. Sign in
2. Open blinds
3. Full shop walk-through (look for any safety issues and ensure all tools and stands are ready for work)
4. Lock back door and downstairs door
5. Check sign-in, log books in front room
6. Check drinking water in front room
7. Brew coffee or tea (optional)
8. Place "Shop Open" sign in plexiglass holder on front door
12.00pm
1. Unlock front door
2. Begin open shop activities
3.00pm
1. Announce that projects will need to be completed by 3:30pm
3.30pm
1. Ask shop goers to finish up projects and to help clean and order shop (i.e. tool inventory, sweeping/vacuuming)
4.00pm
1. Lock front door
2. Close blinds and lock all windows
3. Remove garbage from building (place in garbage bins behind orange building)
4. Sum money amount and initial.
5. Journal to document open shop activities, any issues or concerns, and insights/ideas
6. Secure shop keys
7. Leave (4.15 pm)
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
The Volunteer Coordinator's role is to effectively communicate to other volunteers the work that needs to be completed during open hours. While the Volunteer Mechanics are working with guests at workstations, other volunteers need jobs to perform such as construction projects, bicycle component organization, and other important tasks which will lead to a more fun and efficient bicycle shop. These other volunteers look to the Volunteer Coordinator scheduled for a particular shift to keep them busy and hopefully working on projects which they will enjoy. The Volunteer Coordinator for each shift will have a list of projects/tasks to delegate to other volunteers.
Key Points
1. Ensure that each volunteer has the materials and safety equipment (if necessary) needed to effectively complete the work they have been delegated or chosen to work on
2. Be available to the volunteers at all times to answer questions and deal with concerns/problems
3. Help each volunteer sign in and out and log their hours
4. Ensure that all volunteers have signed the waiver/release form (if under 19 years of age, a parent's signature is also required)
TRAFFIC CONTROL MANAGER
The Traffic Control Manager is the most challenging of the volunteer roles. It requires the ability to manage the flow of people in and out of the bicycle shop and the ensure that people who arrive at the shop are greeted warmly and that an explanation is provided to each guest regarding wait times for repairs with a volunteer mechanic. The person in this role must communicate frequently with the Volunteer Coordinator during their respective shift so that any volunteers who arrive are sent to the Volunteer Coordinator. Frequent communication with the Volunteer Mechanics is also necessary to know when a workstation becomes available for the next guest who needs help learning how to repair their bicycle (and for shop goers earning hours for the Earn-a-Bike program).
Key Points
1. Traffic flow: ensure that NO MORE THAN 15 human beings are present in the bicycle shop at a given moment
2. Traffic flow: keep a record of the order of shop goers waiting to work with a Volunteer Mechanic (i.e., sequence when each shop goer arrives and announce the next person's name to those waiting outside)
3. Traffic flow: ensure than there are no more than two people working with a specific Volunteer Mechanic at one time)
4. Use a chair at the front door to greet guests. Keep front door locked to prevent people from entering and leaving the shop with front door unattended
5. Communicate to the shop goers waiting outside the amount of time until the next workstation/Volunteer Mechanic is available
VOLUNTEER MECHANIC
Volunteer Mechanics are the heart and soul of your community bicycle shop. They are the mentors and teachers to each individual coming to the shop to learn to repair bicycles. The Volunteer Mechanic DOES NOT repair bicycles FOR a guest. She TEACHES the guest how to perform specialized repairs in a safe manner. A person in this role needs to have some working knowledge and experience in repairing bicycles. HE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT IN BICYCLE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE. Some Volunteer Mechanics will have a vast body of knowledge and experience in repairing and maintaining bicycles, others will have a little bit of experience but a lot of motivation to learn with the help of the more experienced Mechanics. This is a TEACHING AND MENTORING ROLE, particularly when working with children/youth.
Key Points
1. Teach safety
2. Work SLOWLY and verbally describe to the shop goer the effective and safe use of each tool
3. Communicate with the Traffic Flow Manager when the respective workstation will be available for the next guest
4. Work with a guest for a MAXIMUM OF ONE HOUR to allow the next guest an opportunity to learn bicycle repair and maintenance
5. Communicate with the Volunteer Coordinator any issues, problems and concerns so that an effective intervention can be made
6. Ensure that each guest signs in and out and that each has signed the waiver/release form (under 19 years of age requires a parent's signature as well)
COMMUNITY SERVICE COORDINATOR
This is a newly developed primary volunteer role. The goal of having such a person for each shift during open shop hours is to offer volunteers an opportunity to work on other projects going on in the Gifford Park Neighborhood. Examples include working on various projects in one of the two community gardens within one block of the bicycle shop. Picking up litter, sweeping the sidewalk in front of the bicycle shop and planting flowers or other plants in front of the shop or on the shop windows. The possibilities are endless for projects which the person working in this role can develop.
KEY HOLDER
In order to be given a key to open and close the bicycle shop, you must have completed 24 HOURS of volunteer service in one of the primary volunteer roles. Specifically, a Key Holder must have completed 12 HOURS of opening and closing the shop, along with 6 HOURS in another volunteer role and another 6 HOURS distributed among any of the other volunteer roles. This is the ensure that each Key Holder has the necessary competence to ensure that the shop is running safely and effectively. The CBSO Board of Directors will approve any volunteer who is eligible to become a Key Holder.
Key Points
1. Must have attended Volunteer Orientation Class
2. Complete a total of 24 hours in volunteer roles as described above
3. Receives board approval
4. NO MORE THAN 10 KEY HOLDERS WILL BE APPROVED AT ANY GIVEN TIME
5. There must always be AT LEAST ONE key holder in the bicycle shop during shop open hours
6. Key holders must be willing to intervene in difficult situations (i.e., arguments, fighting, disputes) and be willing to ask these guests or volunteers to leave the shop immediately, call 911 as necessary, and call a CBSO board member as needed
OTHER IMPORTANT NOTES
A. Currently, to open the shop the volunteer signing up to perform this job must contact one of three persons: David Pursel (at 402.740.4248), Emerick Huber (at 307.262.4581) or Stuart Shell (at 402.216.1235). One of these people will be at the shop to meet you to let you into the shop. The person closing the shop will be able to lock the shop without the use of a key.
B. Each volunteer wishing to perform one of these roles may schedule herself for a shift by going to CBSO Volunteer Shift Scheduling Calendar and following these directions:
1. Find an open shift that you want to work by viewing the available times on the calendar.
2. Double click the shift you want to select.
3. In the "Modify text for this event:" box, type your name and click "Replace Event." If someone has already signed up for a shift that you would like to work, leave their name in the box and add your name below it. You will serve as a back up if the original volunteer is unable to make it to the shop. Volunteers are always welcome to come work in the shop even if they do not have specific responsibilities.
4. If you find you are unable to work a shift that you have signed up for, please remove yourself from the calendar. Any further questions as to how to use the volunteer shift scheduling calendar should be directed to David at dtpursel@cox.net
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The Earn-a-Bike program encourages youth to interact with volunteer mentors. Guests and volunteers are also able to earn a bike through this program. A total of nine hours is required in Safety Education, Basic Mechanics and Community Service. Participants must log the time they spend towards earning a bicycle. Only after completing this service time and submitting a signed release form (by guardian if applicable) does the participant choose a bicycle. Guests are generally not allowed into the basement. The Volunteer Coordinator should retrieve appropriate bicycles for the participant to choose from. Some earned bicycles will require additional work, which does not count towards the Basic Mechanics requirement.
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MISSION AND PRINCIPLES
The history of the Community Bicycle Shop Omaha began with a simple observation . Although Gifford Park neighborhood children were having a great time riding bikes, too often they were missing seats, had flat tires or lacked training wheels. And rarely did the children have proper safety equipment.
Believing that cycling is both great for both recreation and transportation, individuals passionate about cycling and improving the community began working to create a space and structure to help members of the Omaha community to enjoy cycling safely. CBSO was incorporated in Fall 2006 and opened it's doors to the public in Spring 2007.
CBSO is built on and will develop programs centered on its mission to:
1. Provide a positive environment for learning the basics of bicycle mechanics
2. Repair and distribute pre-owned bicycles
3. Build community
4. Promote cycling and safe riding
5. Provide a positive environment for learning the basics of bicycle mechanics
It is up to our volunteers to be positive role models and moderators of a learning environment that is safe for everyone participating. The bike shop will be open for residents to drop in to learn how to repair a flat tire, adjust handlebars and more. In time, programs for more advanced mechanics will be open to volunteers and the public.
REPAIR AND DISTRIBUTE BICYCLES
CBSO accepts donations of used bicycles to recycle parts and whole bikes in need of some repair. All members of the community will be able to earn reconditioned bikes through their contributions to the shop.
BUILD COMMUNITY
Through the positive environment we establish at the shop and the personal relationships built with members of the neighborhood, CBSO strives to improve the individual relationships that make a community and care about it. Concern and involvement in the Midtown neighborhoods and the greater Omaha community are important to the success of CBSO.
PROMOTE CYCLING
The health and wellness benefits of cycling are undeniable. Omaha has a long way to go in becoming a bikeable community, and we intend to influence that as a grassroots voice advocating safe cycling and safe routes. It is also our hope that teaching safe cycling and basic mechanics will make cycling more enjoyable to the people we encounter. Bicyclists naturally contribute less to greenhouse gasses than mortor vehicles.
The fulfillment of this mission is dependent upon the commitment of volunteers and the community. All people may access the services of CBSO, regardless of financial status. The shop operates on a donation basis, rather than selling goods and services at set prices.
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Community Bicycle Shop of Omaha is a non-profit organization. Our support comes from interested individuals and organizations. To join in our efforts to teach basic bicycle maintenance and promote bicycle use in a safe, positive environment, please consider making a donation.
Checks can be made payable to:
Community Bicycle Shop Omaha
525 North 33rd Street
Omaha, NE 68131
Or you can make a donation with your credit card using PayPal:
Donations are tax deductible, Federal ID #20-8203965
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copyleft 2007 and 2008 CBSO