Terry had no idea where to find a free bicycle, when his case worker introduced him to Pedal Power.  The following Wednesday morning he stepped off the bus in front of Dollar Tree, crossed Shelbyville Road to Beargrass, and approached a team of bike mechanics listening to 60’s tunes on the radio while blowing up flat tires.  “You guys got one for a big guy like me?”  Thirty minutes later he was back on the bus with a bike strapped to its rack heading west to his home at St. John Center.

Three weeks passed before Terry showed up at Beargrass again.  This time he took two bicycles with him, one promised to a disabled veteran of the Iraq war, and one for a man just released from prison.  In the months that followed, Terry delivered many more Pedal Power bicycles on our behalf, most to friends at St. John Center.  Others he knew from his time in AA or as a volunteer with the Salvation Army and the Healing Place.  Terry frequently sent photos to us, showing him smiling as he handed out the Pedal Power bicycles. 

What inspired Terry to help others?  When asked he launched into a long and complicated personal life story, marked by struggling with drugs and alcohol, time in prison, difficulty finding and keeping jobs, and loss of family.  He called these his bad times.  Thanks primarily to God’s many blessings, he has since turned his life around.   

As Terry put it, “59 years behind me and I’m not proud of any.  It’s time to focus on helping others.  I have a lot of catching up to do.”  Giving bicycles to others has been one way for Terry to do that.  

About Pedal Power Ministry:

This Ministry Team empowers folks in Louisville by providing refurbished/rebuilt bikes. Our volunteer team delivers on average 850 bikes a year to those in need in our community. Since its beginning in 2013, Pedal Power has delivered close to 8,500 bikes to individuals in need of reliable transportation. We have several strong partnerships with nonprofits and for-profit companies in Louisville such as Community Ministries, Homeless Ministries, Prison Resettlement Services, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, and Greater Louisville YMCA. We have a repair team that requires an understanding of bicycle components along with most repair skills and an interest to learn more about bicycle maintenance and a willingness to serve. We also have a social media team that spreads the Pedal Power message in our community with an understanding of social media sources and the ability to communicate and navigate within and through these sources. Please contact Pedal Power to get involved by serving or donating.