Sewing Machine and Bike Collection for Third World

Pedals for Progress ships no-longer-needed bicycles and working sewing machines to third world countries. The 20 year international grand totals are 1,790 sewing machines and 131,145 bicycles.

Every year, Americans buy 22 million new bicycles and discard millions of old ones, abandoning many more in basements, sheds, and garages. Most of these end up in our already overburdened landfills. Meanwhile, poor people overseas need cheap, non-polluting transportation to get to jobs, markets, customers, and schools.

Sewing machines provide women a source of income as seamstresses in their comunities, offering a means of income for their families.

Saturday, September 10 from 9 a.m. until 12 noon is Memorial United Methodist Church's third collection at 867 West Avon Road, Avon. Any working sewing machine removed from its cabinet will be accepted, along with any adult or child's bicycle in repairable condition that is not rusty. Pedals for Progress does not accept sewing machines or bikes for parts. Nor does it accept tricycles/trikes or disassembled bikes. A minimum $10 donation per item is requested toward the shipping costs, and any additional donations to cover the increasing costs of shipping are greatly appreciated. All cash and material donations are fully tax deductible and a receipt will be provided. For information go to www.p4p.org or call Anne Fitzgerald, 860-673-1216.