Announcements
Burundian and Rwandan Cultural Celebration!
Saturday, July 2, from 12 noon -- 5 pm at St. Michael's Chuch, 239 Oxford St., Prov. , RI. Cultural Music, Dance, Drumming and Food. Donations accepted. Contact St. Michael's 401.781.7210 for more information
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International
Institute of Rhode Island's mission is to enable all area residents, especially
immigrants and refugees, to become self-reliant, invested participants in
our communities, while fostering respect and understanding among all people. Read more
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June 20
Bikes for Refugees
Refugees find a new way to get around town
Thanks to the Friends of Nepal organization, refugees from all over the globe received working bicycles, locks and helmets on June 5th at “Bikes for Refugees” held in the IIRI parking lot.
Volunteers Aaron Rome and Dan Donaghue from Friends of Nepal helped to fix up the bikes and gave a bike safety demonstration. East Providence Cycle and the RI Department of Health donated over 50 new helmets. And Stedman's Bike Shop in Wakefield, RI and NBX Bikes in Narragansett, RI for donated used bikes, helmets and supplies for the event. Recycle a Bike, another local non-profit and IIRI partner, and the Narragansett Bay Wheelmen, one of RI’s largest bicycling club also helped make this event a success.
Refugees from Liberia, Eretria, Iraq, Nepal, and Bhutan spent a few hours on a sunny Sunday afternoon leaning about bike safety and getting their new bicycles adjusted by Aaron and Dan. They got some help from a few of IIRI’s refugee clients – Zaid Wadia, Ephraim Niyonkuru and Ram Sunwar who all have experience working on bikes! And they will continue to be a bicycle-repair-resource for fellow refugees.
For $10 each refugee adults and kids were able to get a working bicycle, lock, and helmet. Volunteers helped fit helmets and taught riders important bike safety and Rhode Island road rules. Now IIRI’s refugee clients have a new way to get to work, to explore their new homeland, and enjoy Rhode Island’s summer weather – on their new bicycles.
If you have an unused adult or kid’s bikes in your garage consider donating it for the next Bike Day contact Mary Ellen Lynch at 401-784-8649.
What's more fun than a bicycle on a sunny June day?
