By Mary Brienza, Staff Writer
Pedals for Progress is collecting bicycle and sewing machines on Saturday June 4 from noon until 3 p.m. at the High School gym parking lot on Ridge Road, according to Constable Elementary School second grade teacher Devon Smith.
Pedals for Progress is a New Jersey-based not for profit organization founded by Dave Schweidenback that is collecting used bicycles, sewing machines, and soccer equipment to be donated to help stimulate the economy of developing countries, according to Ms. Smith.
Ms. Smith said that the organization requests a $10 donation with each item donated to help with shipping since it costs $40 per bike in shipping.
”Our current totals are 34 bikes, eight sewing machines, and $865,” Ms. Smith said in a statement.
The organization is collecting the items at any point at the front desk by the main entrance of the high school as well, Ms. Smith said.
They are just collecting those items and money, Ms. Smith said.
Ms. Smith said she is a second grade teacher at Constable Elementary School in South Brunswick, and will be in charge of Pedals for Progress in the township once Larry Witlen retires after 25 years as a teacher in the district, Ms. Smith said.
Mr. Witlen, who teaches math at the high school ran the program, but since he is retiring at the end of the year in June, Ms. Smith will be running the organization in the future, Mr. Witlen said in January.
Ms. Smith and Mr. Witlen previously spoke at the Jan. 24 Board of Education meeting to promote the organization, and generate awareness about the program.
Mr. Witlen said in January that he would still be involved in Pedals for Progress but that the operation was slowly turned over to Ms. Smith, and that collections will still be held at the high school.
”We’ve made a very smooth transition,” Mr. Witlen said in January.
In January, Ms. Smith said Mr. Witlen, who was in the Peace Corps, had brought the program to the township about 13 years ago, after meeting Mr. Schweidenback at a Peace Corps conference.
Mr. Witlen said that the first collection in South Brunswick was in fall 1999, and that the township part of the organization has sent 1,700 bikes and 50 sewing machines to developing countries.
Mr. Schweidenback said in January that he was in the Amazon as a member of the Peace Corps, and that the landlord was the only one in town with a bike and was one of the more successful people in the community.
He said he started the program since mobility is needed for people to become successes, and the way to eliminate poverty is by having people work.
Mr. Witlen said in January that the donated bikes, including adult tricycles, would be taken as long as they can be repaired, and can have a little rust or flat tires.
The organization does not take parts and bikes that are beyond repair, including bikes that are rusted out, he said.
When the bikes come in the locals fix them up, they sell them in a bike shop, which stimulates the economy in those nations.
The bikes can be paid for by people working for the shop as well, Ms. Smith said in January.
Mr. Witlen said anyone wishing to learn more about the organization could visit www.p4p.org.

