FB4K Morgantown Team

FB4K WV, as part of the Youth Cycling Coalition pilot, has strong community support and is key to ensuring equity to bike access as Morgantown expands its trail networks and bike programming.

President

Jeremy Blizard – Jeremy is the local leader for Free Bikes 4 Kidz Morgantown. Jeremy Blizard, is new to grassroots community leadership, but is a strong advocate for recycling and helping others. For 15 years, he has managed a local electronics repair and recycling business, Nerd Rage, which he recently transitioned to run as a non-profit (shifting focus from repair to recycling).

Nerd Rage collects about 10,000 pounds of electronics each month that are recycled through an R2/RIOS-certified West Virginia business based in Wheeling. He offers free pick-ups for donated electronics, refurbishes them, and re-distributes them. He also collects and distributes donations of food, clothing and other items,  partnering with several local charities including: United Way, Christian Help, Animal Friends, and Pantry Plus More. He was nominated as a Community Champion in the Best of Morgantown, 2021.

Jeremy is a native of Gilmer County, West Virginia. He is the father of two children wo are learning to love bikes. He only became truly comfortable riding a bike in the last year, when members of NICA pieced together for him a Frankenstein of a mountain bike (part Cannondale, part Niner). Learning to ride as an adult made him understand firsthand the transformative power of riding bikes.

Supporting Team Members

Will Ravenscroft – Will Ravenscroft brings 10 years of experience as a bike mechanic and offers storage, repair space and trains volunteers.

Jessica Harmening – Jessica Harmening is a schoolteacher and local bike coach for NICA, the National Interscholastic Bicycling Association which connects kids with bikes. Jessica helps collect donated bikes and distributes bikes to students in need. She brings established relationships with the mountain biking community and local police department, which donates bikes regularly from unclaimed property.

Vaike Haas – Vaike Haas advocates for safer routes for walking/biking to school. A local champion for equitable access to greenspace and trails, she leads the local Safe Routes to School effort. Vaike will help new riders at Suncrest Middle School and Suncrest Elementary find the best routes to schools and parks.

Acadia Blizard – Acadia Blizard is the daughter of Jeremy and is excited to help connect kids at her school with free bikes. None of her friends currently ride bikes. Acadia will help with events as well as bike distribution.

Community Supporters

Drew Gatlin – Drew Gatlin organizes social rides that help build confidence for new riders.

Rachelle Thorne – Rachelle Thorne leads the local Little Bellas chapter that connects girls to bikes.

Greg Corio  and the WVU Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative (OEDC) – Greg Corio and the WVU OEDC loan vans, helps with surveys and coordinate volunteers.

Joy Carr – Joy Carr is an experienced grant writer that offers help with communications, marketing and outreach.