TEAM Punta Gorda upgrades bicycle loaner fleet

By LEW MORRISSEY

MEDIA CONTACT

TEAM Punta Gorda is upgrading many of its free loaner bicycles. New bikes will be put in service at Fishermen’s Village and Laishley Marina.

“We are excited about our new yellow bikes,” said Nancy Johnson, TEAM Punta Gorda CEO. “The bikes are very popular, which means some of the existing ones are starting to show their age. It’s great we can replace them.” ACME Bicycle Shop in Punta Gorda provides the yellow bicycles. Staff from ACME work with TEAM volunteers to maintain the bikes once they are put in use.

Working in cooperation with the City of Punta Gorda, TEAM has offered free loaner bicycles since 2010 at several locations including Fishermen’s Village, Laishley Marina, Isles Yacht Club, Charlotte Regional Wellness Center and Four Points Sheraton. The free loaner bikes are popular with both tourists and residents.

A portion of the proceeds from TEAM’s annual bicycle tour, Pedal and Play in Paradise, were used to purchase 20 new bicycles. Last year, more than 500 cyclists participated in the two-day cycling event. Next year’s Pedal and Play will be held March 22 and 23. Proceeds from the event not only support TEAM’s bicycle efforts but also the work of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The used loaner bicycles will be stored temporarily in the garage at the former Impac Building near Fishermen’s Village, thanks to Patti Allen, general manager of Fishermen’s Village, which owns Impac. While there, some bikes will be cannibalized for parts or painted and distributed around the city. Some will be given to St. Vincent de Paul, Sacred Heart Conference, in Punta Gorda for distribution to the needy.

To learn more about the free loaner bicycle program, visit www.teampuntagorda.org.

Putting into service new TEAM Punta Gorda free loaner bicycles at Fishermen’s Village are, from left: Bill Wood, TEAM board member; Ron Schebil, Harbor Master, Fishermen’s Village; Karen Freeman, owner, Acme Bicycle; John Baird, TEAM Bike Loaner Program Chair and Gary Skillicorn, TEAM Bike Loaner Committee member.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

At left: Putting into service new TEAM Punta free loaner bicycles at Laishley Marina are from left: Bill Wood, TEAM board member, Nancy Johnson, TEAM CEO, John Baird, Bike Loaner Program Chair, and Sue Leahy, owner of Punta Gorda Downtown Bait and Tackle.