For those of you who do not know Bill Jones, he has been actively involved with the Spin for several years dating back all the way to 2008. He is well known by the organization for several significant reasons (not all listed):
1). Pickups - His volunteer bike pickup service that encompassed a wide area going into several surrounding counties. Sometimes these pickups were so large they involved more than one trip to a distant location.
2). Toy-Giveaways: Over the last couple years, he took a lead in coordinating the logistics for transporting hundreds of bikes to the Armory during the Holiday Toy Give-away, established innovative procedures to make the process more effective at the event, made sure our cache of bikes was established early in the season, organized people to help with the pickup, changed the arrangement of the shop to set aside a designated area for the bikes to be given away.
3). Welding: Almost everyone has observed innovated bikes around the Spin, many of these bikes were fabricated by Bill. Bill taught WVU students how to weld as part of our partnership with WVU Human Power Vehicle Competition Team, and worked with them in other capacities for several years. Also, you may have seen Bill riding around town in a bike that looks sort of like an airplane that has a Positive Spin decals on it, Bill designed it utilizing his aerospace knowledge, but he also builds planes that actually fly. Perhaps he is a descendant of the Wright Brothers?
4). Bike Training: Bill has that magical touch when it comes to teaching people how to ride a bicycle. Bill has taught many kids and adults how to ride without training wheels. I was particularly impressed when he taught an older kid with autism, utilizing some simple yet effective strategies, and in the process accomplishing what nobody else could succeed in doing, motivating this kid to ride a bicycle for the first time in his life!
Bill, you are a rare find, and we will really miss you. It will take several new volunteers to replace what you have brought to the Spin, and the community of Morgantown.
Thank-you for all you have accomplished!
-Jonathan
On 04/08/2015 03:08 PM, thesumak@aol.com wrote:
Greetings,
I turned in my keys to Bopark this morning. I might suggest that they be passed on to young Jonathan. He worked hard all winter long helping Will fix up bikes and work on various projects at our shop.
Cheers, Bill
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