For Chris Usner, a lifelong resident of Kenmore, bikes have always played a big role in his life. Growing up, Chris learned to take care of his bike to make it last as long as possible, eventually becoming a bike mechanic for others who needed repairs. When Chris’s daughter Lily needed community service hours for school, Chris turned to what he always knew: bikes.
He began working with South Street Ministries, leading their Bike Shop program out of their building and bringing Bike Shop to the Summit Lake Nature Center. Bike Shop is exactly what it sounds like — a place for people to get together and learn how to work on bikes. Anybody from local kids, unhoused neighbors or others looking for a fresh start can show up and earn a bike in just a couple hours.
Chris and his dedicated volunteers show participants how to make repairs on their bikes using simple tools in an effort to eliminate barriers. Chris understands the importance of needing to make things last, and showing people how to maintain their bikes gives them a lot more than just a reliable ride.
Yes, Bike Shop is a place for people to show up and learn how to maintain a bike, but there’s more to the story. Chris describes a bike as a conduit. A bike is so much more than a bike; it’s a key to freedom, confidence and opportunity. The only entry fee is learning how to care for your bike and make it last. With Chris’s open-door policy built on mutual respect and the belief that small steps can lead to big change, Chris has one hope for each person who crosses paths with the Bike Shop: “I hope they go and do good.”
At the center of a bike wheel is a hub, and each spoke that comes from the center is what helps keep the wheels balanced. Even when you fall off your bike and your spokes become misaligned, what becomes bent can always be repaired.
This is true for bikes and people, and that is what motivates Chris each day to show up for his community. In Chris’s own words, “A single pedal stroke can change someone’s life.”