Ecuador RPCV Dave Schweidenback's Pedals for Progress rolls along in 15th year



Founded by Schweidenback in 1991, the organization's premise is based on his theory: "To sustain an economy, you must increase the speed of movement of goods and services," he said Wednesday from his Glen Gardner warehouse, which consists of six trailers filled with 500 bikes, thousands of bike accessories, half a dozen sewing machines and a makeshift loading dock.

Ecuador RPCV Dave Schweidenback's Pedals for Progress rolls along in 15th year

Pedals for Progress rolls along in 15th year
Home News Tribune Online 03/12/06
By GIOVANNA FABIANO
GANNETT NEW JERSEY

HIGH BRIDGE — As a Peace Corps volunteer in the late 1970s, Dave Schweidenback worked in Ecuador's Amazon basin as a land surveyor in a rural village called Sucua. It was the kind of pristine place where he could pitch his tent under the stars each night and see monkeys jumping from tree to tree and white dolphins frolicking in the nearby river.


Despite its indescribable beauty, work was hard to come by in the village, and most inhabitants lived off their own crops and livestock.

But the most productive individual by far was a man named Cesar Pena, the only person in town who owned a bicycle.

Eleven years after Schweidenback left Sucua for High Bridge, Pena would become the inspiration behind Pedals for Progress, an organization that provides underprivileged people in Third World countries with a means of transportation.

Founded by Schweidenback in 1991, the organization's premise is based on his theory: "To sustain an economy, you must increase the speed of movement of goods and services," he said Wednesday from his Glen Gardner warehouse, which consists of six trailers filled with 500 bikes, thousands of bike accessories, half a dozen sewing machines and a makeshift loading dock.

Yesterday, the organization planned to celebrate its 15th anniversary with an awards ceremony honoring a long list of dedicated volunteers, at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg.

Pedals for Progress, which has collected and shipped more than 95,000 bicycles since it began, has grown significantly over the years, holding donation drives along the East Coast, from the upper tip of North Carolina to Massachusetts.

After each collection, the bikes are shipped to countries such as El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Uganda for use by individuals who have no cars or motorcycles.

"I've always approached this as an economic development program. You've got to use what you've got, and the wheel is mankind's greatest invention," said Schweidenback. "You can hold a job once you have something to get there with," he said.

That's why, aside from bikes, Pedals for Progress is now collecting sewing machines. While the wheel gets you to your job, the sewing machine creates a job, he said.

Inside the warehouse, a few of the machines were an antique lover's dream - old Singers with intricate gold-leaf designs, a key to lock up a cabinet or carrying case, and the original manuals, one of which was from 1913.

"This is the reallocation of wealth from people who no longer need it to those who can make a living out of it. We're allowing people to help themselves," said Schweidenback.

The organization holds bike drives every weekend in the spring and fall. Any volunteer organization, including Scouts, Rotary, and religious groups, are welcome to host a collection.

Schweidenback asks that anyone who plans on donating a bike give $10 to help with shipping costs.

After the bikes are collected, volunteers help remove the pedals and "flatten" the bikes, which are placed in boxes along with accessories, including tires and inner tubes, donated by corporate sponsors. The boxes are then shipped to partnering agencies in the participating countries, and sold at a fraction of their actual cost.

After the bikes are collected, volunteers help remove the pedals and "flatten" the bikes, which are placed in boxes along with accessories, including tires and inner tubes, donated by corporate sponsors. The boxes are then shipped to partnering agencies in the participating countries, and sold at a fraction of their actual cost.

The bikes range from Specialized and Trek mountain bikes to an old banana seat style. Since bikes will usually remain sturdy for several years, Schweidenback isn't picky - he'll take anything, as long as it's not rusty.

"Bikes can last for 50 years, as long as you don't keep them out in the rain," he said.

When this story was posted in March 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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March 1, 1961: Keeping Kennedy's Promise On March 1, 1961, President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Order #10924, establishing the Peace Corps as a new agency: "Life in the Peace Corps will not be easy. There will be no salary and allowances will be at a level sufficient only to maintain health and meet basic needs. Men and women will be expected to work and live alongside the nationals of the country in which they are stationed--doing the same work, eating the same food, talking the same language. But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the Peace Corps--who works in a foreign land--will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace. "

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Top Stories: February 2, 2006 Al Kamen writes: Rice to redeploy diplomats 20 Jan Peace Corps mourns the Loss of Volunteer Tessa Horan 1 Feb RPCV pursues dreams in America's Heartland 1 Feb Sargent Shriver documentary to be shown in LA 30 Jan W. Frank Fountain is new board chairman of Africare 27 Jan Abbey Brown writes about acid attacks in Bangladesh 26 Jan Christopher Hill Sees Ray of Hope in N.Korea Standoff 26 Jan Jeffrey Smit writes on one man diplomatic outposts 25 Jan Joe Blatchford's ACCION and microfinance 24 Jan James Rupert writes: A calculated risk in Pakistan 23 Jan Sam Farr rips conservative immigration bill 21 Jan Americans campaign for PC to return to Sierra Leone 20 Jan Kinky Friedman supports Gay Marriage 20 Jan Margaret Krome writes on Women leaders 18 Jan James Walsh leads bipartisan US delegation to Ireland 17 Jan Mark Schneider writes on Elections and Beyond in Haiti 16 Jan Robert Blackwill on a "serious setback" in US-India relations 13 Jan Kevin Quigley writes on PC and U.S. Image Abroad 13 Jan Emily Metzloff rides bicycle 3,100 miles from Honduras 9 Jan Charles Brennick starts operation InterConnection 9 Jan Lee Fisher tells story of Pablo Morillo 7 Jan Nancy Wallace writes: Was PC a CIA front after all? 4 Jan

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Paid Vacations in the Third World? Retired diplomat Peter Rice has written a letter to the Wall Street Journal stating that Peace Corps "is really just a U.S. government program for paid vacations in the Third World." Director Vasquez has responded that "the small stipend volunteers receive during their two years of service is more than returned in the understanding fostered in communities throughout the world and here at home." What do RPCVs think?

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RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps Timothy Ronald Obert has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in Costa Rica while serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. "The Peace Corps has a zero tolerance policy for misconduct that violates the law or standards of conduct established by the Peace Corps," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez. Could inadequate screening have been partly to blame? Mr. Obert's resume, which he had submitted to the Peace Corps in support of his application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, showed that he had repeatedly sought and obtained positions working with underprivileged children. Read what RPCVs have to say about this case.

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Military Option sparks concerns The U.S. military, struggling to fill its voluntary ranks, is allowing recruits to meet part of their reserve military obligations after active duty by serving in the Peace Corps. Read why there is opposition to the program among RPCVs. Director Vasquez says the agency has a long history of accepting qualified applicants who are in inactive military status. John Coyne says "Not only no, but hell no!" and RPCV Chris Matthews leads the debate on "Hardball." Avi Spiegel says Peace Corps is not the place for soldiers while Coleman McCarthy says to Welcome Soldiers to the Peace Corps. Read our poll results. Latest: Congress passed a bill on December 22 including language to remove Peace Corps from the National Call to Service (NCS) military recruitment program

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Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject.

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PC establishes awards for top Volunteers Gaddi H. Vasquez has established the Kennedy Service Awards to honor the hard work and service of two current Peace Corps Volunteers, two returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and two Peace Corps staff members. The award to currently serving volunteers will be based on a demonstration of impact, sustainability, creativity, and catalytic effect. Submit your nominations by December 9.

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Friends of the Peace Corps 170,000 strong 170,000 is a very special number for the RPCV community - it's the number of Volunteers who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961. It's also a number that is very special to us because March is the first month since our founding in January, 2001 that our readership has exceeded 170,000. And while we know that not everyone who comes to this site is an RPCV, they are all "Friends of the Peace Corps." Thanks everybody for making PCOL your source of news for the Returned Volunteer community.

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