CentreBike is gearing up for turkey day with Cranksgiving, a food drive event on two wheels that supports the Centre County Youth Service Bureau by providing holiday meals for those in need.
The event kicks off at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6, at Videon Central, 2171 Sandy Drive, State College. Bicycle riders will be given a map and a list of items to purchase for the food drive. Participants should bring a bike, helmet, lock, bag and $15 to $20 to purchase the goods. (Cranksgiving was originally scheduled for Oct. 30 but is postponed until Nov. 6).
CentreBike President Matt Cox said, “This year we are pushing towards a no-excuse methodology. If they don’t have a bike, we’re offering discount codes on SPIN e-bikes just for the event.”
Cranksgiving started in 1999 in New York and has become the “largest pedal-powered food drive.” This year marks State College’s third Cranksgiving. Donations from the previous two years totaled over $4,500 worth of food, weighing more than 2,500 pounds.
Each rider has a list of eight items to pick up to supply a complete holiday meal for those who need it. Some riders, Cox said, “are surprised how much space eight items can take up. Some items can be hard to find, some may be out of stock, so it takes some planning.”
For those who would like, the “early bird” option allows participants to shop prior to the event and drop-off their donations the day of.
Also, those who would like to help out but can’t attend can make cash donations and the team at CentreBike will purchase the food for them.
More information can be found at www.cranksgivingstatecollege.com.
This story appears in the Oct. 28-Nov. 3 edition of the Centre County Gazette.
