By Sonali Basak
Writer
Bicycles Against Poverty (BAP) is bringing “Bands and Bikes” to campus for its third year this Saturday, April 9 on Smith Quad from 1:00-5:00 p.m. Bands and Bikes is an outdoor event featuring music, food and philanthropy.
“It’s one of those events that brings the campus together,” said Odeke Ekirapa ’12, Vice President of Finance for BAP. “You don’t have to expect anything but a good time–-a calm atmosphere, friends, music, food and cheap bikes. What more can you ask for?”
Known as “It’s a Microworld After All” in its second year, the event has seen great success. Similar to last year, the event will be co-sponsored with the Microfinance Initiative at Bucknell (MIB). Last year’s event raised over $500 through donations and raffles.
This year’s event will also include a beach volleyball competition, a hot dog eating contest, a food relay and a silent used bike auction. Bikes will be auctioned at starting prices between $25 and $200, with values up to $500. T-shirts to tie-dye, Ugandan crafts and various merchandise will be on sale. Lunch and music will be provided for free. Student bands and performers, including Brian Brundage, the Michael Mattei Band and Two Past Midnight, will provide music.
All money raised will be donated towards BAP, which has donated over 290 bikes since its founding in 2008.
“This event is a culmination of our year’s efforts,” BAP President Krissy Brundage ’13 said. “It’s our last big fundraising event before our summer trip to Uganda.”
Some other BAP events include a soccer tournament, sales of BAP shirts and merchandise, a screening of “Invisible Children” this spring and periodic trips to Uganda to deliver the bicycles.
Ben Kellerman ’13, BAP Head of Communications, said the event helps people understand what BAP does.
“Most people don’t understand the impact of these bikes on local communities,” he said. “People living in internationally displaced person camps with no infrastructure are given greater access to education, healthcare, jobs and markets.”
Brundage explained that evaluations of the program in Uganda show the appreciation that bicycle recipients have for the program as well as the impact the bicycles have in Ugandan communities.
“Most incomes go up because of greater access to jobs. Lives have been saved because of greater access to healthcare and hospitals,” Brundage said.
BAP is looking to become a non-profit organization.
“It is unique because most other campuses don’t have a completely student-founded student group that does something of this caliber,” Brundage said.
Brundage hopes that in becoming a non-profit, BAP will expand to other campuses and more villages.