VAMOS BIKE PROGRAM

VAMOS BIKE PROGRAM OVERVIEW

WMBC and Vamos Outdoors Project have partnered to offer Latiné, Migrant, and multi-lingual youth in our community the opportunity to build community through weekly biking in downtown Bellingham and on our community trails. This program focuses on building community, empowering youth to use bikes as transportation, and fostering leadership skills.

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Youth participants spend an afternoon outside learning bike skills, how to ride on multi-use trails, and how to navigate around their city by bike. There are many pump tracks in our county that allow youth to practice basic and advanced bike skill skills from their own neighborhood. Students aged 6th-12th grade have the opportunity to earn a mountain bike of their own plus a helmet, lock, and light. Participants must attend 80% of rides and make-up missed skills to earn a bike.

Vamos Outdoors Project is a local non-profit that has cultivated a strong relationship with Latiné, migrant, and multi-lingual youth in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. They provide outreach, transportation, food, and snacks for each program. Spanish language use is encouraged and supported by volunteers during rides, creating a low-pressure space for youth to explore the outdoors, and create community. Participants get a chance to share experiences in their native language with representative mentors, make new friends, and build their sense of place within Whatcom County. This partnership is thriving and we are so happy to see many of the kids returning each season and sharing their passion with their friends and family.

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The Vamos Bike Program is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.