Jim Beasley started volunteering with the Boys Scouts and a simple charge:
“Get home with the same number you left with.”
Not so different from volunteering with a bike club.
Beasley helped start All Souls’ first Bike Club at McClain 7th Grade Academy in 2014—the same year Humble Sons Bike Company started a club at Emerson Elementary.
The paths—or bike lanes—would continue to cross.
All Souls continued sponsoring Bike Club at McLain until the school closed in 2019.
Then the church began providing volunteers for clubs at Unity, Gilcrease (now John Hope Franklin) and Monroe Middle School as clubs started up.
A long-time biker, Beasley still rides with the club at John Hope Franklin. Last year, the club drew nine boys and girls—“almost 50-50,” he says with a smile.
This year, Humble Sons sponsors 34 after-school clubs at Tulsa Public Schools, including riders at Unity and Monroe, All Souls’ adopted schools.
Clubs meet once a week from late-September through mid-May for rides, weather permitting.
The program targets 5th graders, with a faculty sponsor setting criteria (beginning with grades) for participation. At the end of the year, students earn a new bike if they meet all criteria.
But before taking their bikes out on public streets, students watch videos on rules of the road and safety issues. Then the rides begin on low-traffic public streets, park trails and OSU Tulsa to Skiatook trail, which goes near many northside schools.
Dedicated bike lanes have been a bonus, says Beasley.
At the end of the year comes The Big Event with all clubs meeting up at a glamour location such as BMX headquarters or Guthrie Green then biking to Gathering Place.
An estimated 400 bikers participated in last spring’s caravan!
For information on how to get involved, contact pie@allsoulschurch.org.
All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma is a welcoming community. Everyone, regardless of age, race, culture, economic status, gender identity or sexual orientation is welcome at All Souls. Learn more about All Souls at our website, allsoulschurch.org. To learn about our services, in person and online, visit allsoulschurch.org/worship-services.
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