Bikes wanted, all conditions. This is what Jan Maloff really wants to convey to Upstate New Yorkers as his 25th annual bike raffle gets underway.
Maloff has distributed thousands of bikes to families in and around Syracuse over the past quarter century and hopes he can give away another 2,000 this year.
But – “We need volunteers. And we need bicycles, ”he said.
The Central New York Family Bicycle Giveaway Foundation, Maloff’s nonprofit organization, accepts bicycles at the New York State Fair Agricultural Building, 581 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse, daily through Saturday, December 18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Smashed, bent or damaged bikes are welcome and will be reconditioned by volunteers.
Once the bikes are primed and polished, they will be distributed on Sunday, December 19 at 10 a.m. at Fowler High School at 227 Magnolia St., Syracuse. No pre-registration is required; if you need a bike and can’t afford one, you can just drop by.
In the case of bicycles, even rusted old lumps are welcome donations, Maloff said, since any bicycle that is absolutely irreparable can still be used for parts.
“Don’t judge your bike, just bring it to us,” he said.
We are also looking for volunteers, regardless of their level.
The foundation also needs money, said Maloff, especially because parts prices have skyrocketed since the beginning of the pandemic. Tubes, which cost him around $ 2.50 a few years ago, are double what they were this year, he said.
The foundation also operates a year-round repair trailer that is run by a dedicated group of mostly “older guys” who have been volunteering for a decade, Maloff said. They don’t want someone to throw away a damaged bike because they can’t get transportation to a store or money for repairs.
Anyone who comes by on a bike in the competition on December 19th can leave their email to get in touch with the Foundation for the Use of the Repair Trailer. For more information about the giveaway, volunteering, or making a donation, call Maloff at (315) 530-7751.
Maloff said he grew up in the Le Moyne College area and that he and his pals let the children of the now-closed Charles Andrews Elementary School on Salt Springs Road borrow their bikes to ride.
“That was a huge thrill for them because none of them had bikes,” said Maloff. And learning to ride a bike – “that’s part of growing up”.
“If I were ever to get rich,” he thought at the time, “I would make sure that every child has a bike.”
Maloff said he didn’t exactly get rich, but he managed to hand out lots of bikes over the years.
Jules Struck writes about life and culture in and around Syracuse. Contact her anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram at julesstruck.journo.
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