Here’s a dose of good in a situation that started out bad: Yesterday before Bike Happy Hour I swung by Ota Tofu on Southeast Stark to deliver a check for $1,215. That was the amount nearly 50 of you donated to Cole so she can buy a new bike after hers was flattened by an errant driver last Thursday.
Cole was getting coffee across the street from her job at Ota when she saw someone in an SUV swing off SE Sandy right into the on-street bike parking corral her bike was locked to. That now-destroyed bike was how Cole got to and from work, and when I talked to her about what happened, it was clear she could use help buying a new one. With the check I dropped off, and some donations that were sent directly to her, Cole should have enough to find a solid, reliable bike.
Thanks to everyone who stepped up to help a complete stranger. And to the handful of folks who offered to loan her a bike, or in some cases, even give her one! The generosity of our community helps restore my faith in humanity. I can’t wait to see Cole’s new bike and I’m glad we were able to keep one more person on a bike in Portland.