Bari Freeman, Bike Newport's Executive Director, with a sea of bikes ready for the community toy distribution at Pell Elementary School.

Newport, RI – All year round, people bring outgrown and otherwise unused bikes to Bike Newport’s community bike project – where they receive a little TLC and find their way to new owners.

Bikes are restored and made road-ready by volunteers and by folks who earn the bikes through volunteering. Among the beach cruisers, road racers, and city bikes for grown-ups are dozens of bikes for tikes.

With an extra happy holiday push, Bike Newport volunteers cleaned and tightened up 30 sets of wheels over the last few weeks and delivered the bikes to the Pell School to join Santa’s other surprises at a community toy distribution on Saturday, December 9th. Bike bows and shiny chrome brought smiles to 30 little ones who also left with helmets and “Roll Model” lessons on safe cycling.

Niko Merritt and Clare Woodhead, Bike Newport Staff, prepping the bikes with bells and bows.

Bike donations and volunteers are welcome year-round at Bike Newport’s HQ at 62 Broadway.

For more information on Bike Newport, visit www.bikenewportri.org.

Ryan Belmore is the Publisher of What'sUpNewp. 
Belmore has been involved with What’sUpNewp since shortly after its launch in 2012, proudly leading it to be named Best Local News Blog in Rhode Island by Rhode Island Monthly readers in 2018, 2019, and 2020 and an honorable mention in the Common Good Awards in 2021.

Born and raised in Rhode Island, Belmore graduated from Coventry High School and the Community College of Rhode Island. In addition to living in Newport for 10 years, he has lived in Portsmouth, Coventry, Providence, Smithfield, Burrillville, and East Greenwich.

Belmore currently serves as Vice President of the Board Of Directors for Fort Adams Trust and on the Board of Directors for Potter League For Animals. He previously served on the Board of Lucy's Hearth and the Arts & Cultural Alliance for Newport County.

Belmore and his wife, Jen, currently live in Alexandria, Virginia, a move they made in 2021. Read more about that here - https://whatsupnewp.com/2021/09/letter-from-the-publisher-some-personal-news/

Belmore visits Newport every couple of weeks to support the 12+ paid contributors What'sUpNewp has on the ground across Rhode Island, a place he called home for 39 years.

Belmore is a member of Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers, Society of Professional Journalists, and the North American Snowsports Journalists Association.

In 2020, Belmore was named Member of the Year by LION and won the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County's Dominque Award.
Belmore can be contacted at ryan@whatsupnewp.com and 401-662-1653.