At 8 a.m. every Saturday there is a line behind the East Lansing Fire Station No. 1, 1700 Abbot Road.
Lansing residents clutching their papers browse the bicycles lining the two large red trailers until volunteers arrive to distribute them at 9 a.m.
Sign of the times
The Share-A-Bike program began in 1994 when founder Ron Sprinkel took it off the hands of Mae Tanner.
Since then, the program has been providing free bicycles to members of the community who cannot afford to purchase one on their own.
“Here everything is free. We are very appreciative for it,” Lansing resident James Thang said.
Recipients must present a letter from a recognizable community organization attesting their need for assistance. They must also be present to receive a bike.
The Share-A-Bike program is run by volunteers who take donated bikes, fix them and redistribute them for free. It is run out of two trailers donated by Meijer and space granted to them by the city of East Lansing.
“We rely strictly on the community for bicycles,” 14-year-old volunteer Mike Egan said.
Every Saturday during the summer the program gives away between 25 and 30 bicycles. This summer volunteers have given a total of 386 bikes.
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