Bike and Build to assist Home, Inc. next week

Emily Seibel of Home, Inc. (2nd from the left) and Roger Reynolds of the Yellow Springs United Methodist Church (far right) with members of Bike and Build when they visited the church last year.

Bike and Build riders on the Maine to Santa Barbara route will come to Yellow Springs once again this year. In previous years their visits here only served as rest stops between work days. Originally they were hosted only by the YS United Methodist Church. This year, the team of 32 young people will assist with one or two Home, Inc. projects for a day, and are now jointly hosted by Home, Inc. and YSUMC.

Bike & Build is a 501(c)(3) independent nonprofit organization.

http://www.bikeandbuild.org/cms/content/view/32/49/ They work with young adults to produce cross-country fundraising bicycling trips, open to participants ages 18-25. The proceeds from events are disbursed to affordable housing organizations to underwrite projects.

The Bike and Build group will arrive on Sunday, July 10 and enjoy a potluck lasagna dinner and community land trust presentation with Home, Inc. staff, board members, volunteers and homeowners. On Monday, July 11 the group will work with Home, Inc. volunteers to construct a deck made of recycled materials, purchased with a grant from YSI Incorporated, at a new rental cottage on Xenia Avenue and help with other tasks at that site. The participants will also assist with pre-development work on the Home, Inc. West Davis Street project. This new housing initiative will result in the first affordable homes in the state based on Passive House design features and the group's first fully wheelchair accessible home.

Junior Girl Scout troop # 30349 of Yellow Springs will provide water and snacks during the work day. The cyclists will also attend a Passive Home tour with local builder Andrew Kline of Green Generation Building. YSUMC will provide dinner and entertainment on Monday night and offer breakfast before the group leaves for a 100 mile ride to Rushville, Indiana on Tuesday, July 12.

To learn more about Home, Inc. and their affordable housing mission in Yellow Springs go to www.yshome.org. If you are interested in helping with any part of this year’s Bike and Build event please contact Emily Seibel, 767-2790, or emily@yshome.org.