Over 150 Bikes Collected In Mercer County Bicycle Drive

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ — Mercer County’s Park Commission and Planning Department recently hosted their fourth annual Bike Drive to benefit the Mercer County Bike Exchange (BEX) and Boys & Girls Club (BGC).

Over 150 bikes were donated from all over the county and surrounding area, officials said.

BEX is a volunteer-run organization whose objective is to raise funds to support after-school programs at the Mercer County BGC. The non-profit repairs donated bicycles and sells them at modest prices from its Ewing location at Capitol Plaza on Olden Avenue.

“The annual bike drive is a wonderful example of county government partnering with nonprofits to give back to our community,” said Mercer County Executive Dan Benson.

“I’m grateful to all of the volunteers who made this event a tremendous success, and to all of the generous residents who donated their bikes for a good cause.”

According to Ira Saltiel, the BEX volunteer director, 50 volunteers support the organization by working in sales, repairing, picking up, and delivering bikes. Volunteers manage the BEX social media and Craigslist postings. Others harvest parts off bikes that are beyond repair. Since 2009, the Bike Exchange has sold approximately 27,000 bikes, and raised $1.6 million for the BGC.

They have also donated around 300 free bikes annually to youth in Trenton and other urban areas throughout New Jersey.

“Once again, the Mercer County Park Commission, in cooperation with the Mercer County Bike Exchange and the Mercer County Planning Department, have come together in support of this annual event,” said Acting Executive Director Joseph Pizza. “Thank you to all the volunteers and participants on another successful bike drive.”

Interested teens from BGC get training in bike repairs. Some of the teens who are learning how to rehabilitate bikes volunteered their time at the Bike Drive by helping donors unload bikes from their vehicles, handing out informational materials, and loading donated bikes onto Bike Exchange trailers.

“Over 15 BEX volunteers and four interns from the Boys & Girls Club helped with the Mercer County bike drive this year,” said Saltiel. “The quality of the bikes this year was amazing and the 150 bikes donated will result in over $18,000 in sales, all going directly to the Boys and Girls Club. It was a hugely successful event.”