By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
The Youth Group of Sacred Heart and Christ the King Churches are seeking any working bicycles for its next service project. The group is helping to send the bicycles to poverty stricken children across the globe.
Melissa Reilly-Grecco, one of the advisers for the Youth Group, said this is a great project to take on.
”The parish received a letter from the organization doing this project and I immediately thought it would be a great way for our Youth Group members to learn about poverty on a global level. We always stress for them to be active in stewardship in our community but I also feel it is important for them to understand the severe poverty that children live in across the globe,” she said.
The group would be sending the bicycles to Tanzania. Kateri Mankiewicz from the Catholic Student Association at Rutgers University wrote in an e-mail about a supply-raising project the association is initiating for its 12th annual service trip to Tanzania this summer.
”We are collecting used bicycles,” she wrote. “We are reaching out to local parishes to see if their youth groups, confirmation classes, or any other relevant organizations could help us in supply-raising bicycles for this year’s trip. The Tanzanian people are tremendously appreciative every time we visit, and we take pride in the fundraising and supply-raising projects we embark upon.”
From their information, Tanzania is a country the size of Texas on the east coast of Africa. Tanzania is an extremely poor country. It is considered one of the least developed countries in Africa. Most people live in one-room huts that have been thrown together with whatever building materials that could be found. Most houses in the rural areas are mud huts with thatched roofs. Many villages do not have an easily accessible supply of drinking water. The country is so poor that there is almost no public education system. There are mostly private charitable schools that serve at the primary and secondary levels.
Ms. Reilly-Grecco said that the Youth Group’s service can help as they get enlightened about the cultures around the world.
”Our youth group focuses on our children coming together to celebrate Mass on monthly basis, group outings and most importantly stewardship. We want them to grow always they can help others in need.
”We are doing this so that our youth group members can have some sense of the poverty that people around world live in,” she said. “Most of our children have grown up taking the simple joy of riding a bike for granted. By teaching them about the poverty stricken children in Tanzania and relating it to something they have always done I hope it will make a positive impact on them.
”I also felt this was a great project because families in our area are struggling economically at this time. This collection isn’t asking anyone to purchase anything. Simply take a look in your sheds and garages and pass along a bike that are no longer being used to someone who would love to have it.”
If anyone has bicycles that they do not need or use and would like to donate them, bring them to Christ the King School on North 13th Avenue on Saturday, April 16, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in conjunction with the Christ the King Clothing Drive. All types of bicycles are accepted as long as they are in working condition.
”We do not have a number of bikes in mind that we would like to collect. We do hope that since this really doesn’t cost anything that we will have a great response from our community. Everyone has bikes in their garages that children have outgrown. By donating to this cause they will be putting smiles on the faces of children who have very little in their lives,” said Ms. Reilly Grecco.
For more information about the bicycle collection, contact Ms. Reilly-Grecco at [email protected].

