Kona BikeTown Africa

AfricaBike Featured On Urban Rush Television Show

The humble AfricaBike recently spent some time on stage in front of the camera on Vancouver's award-winning entertainment talk show Urban Rush. With the set's lights sparkling on all the AfricaBike's features, Kona technical product manager and AfricaBike designer Doug "Dr. Dew" LaFavor and clothing product manager Michelle Gault chatted with show hosts Michael Eckford and Fiona Forbes about the bike's importance, design and adoption program - plus more. Click here to watch the video.          

The popular program features guests from film, television, sports, food, fashion, music and pop culture. This time around the Kona AfricaBike program took center stage. Enjoy!

Kona Reaches Out To Afghanistan

The mission started in Africa. And now it has cruised along and put a kickstand down in Afghanistan.

Since the beginning of Kona Biketown Africa and the introduction of the versatile AfricaBike, the goal has simply been to provide a reliable means of transportation to help in enhancing the quality of life to those in need. That's still the focus.

Recently, cycling enthusiasts and model humanitarians Steve Kraus and Rachel Barton of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, rolled into Afghanistan on their AfricaBikes - and more specifically the barracks of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Devoted professionals who make careers as a surgeon and anesthesiologist, the couple volunteered their time and medical expertise to the CAF; making rounds, providing knowledge and getting a first hand look at what life is like living on an armed forces base and how the AfricaBike can help. Steve is also a managing partner at the Maple Ridge Experience Cycling bike shop www.experiencecycling.ca in Vancouver.  

When they weren't tending to personnel, listening to artillery fire and seeking shade during the hot, dusty days, the two lent a hand whenever possible while touring the grounds on their AfricaBikes - the preferred method of travel. Throughout their time there, they spent countless hours with little sleep administering wounded patients in tight quarters - four ICU beds, eight trauma bays and about 12 beds. There were two ORs with two OR teams. From kids to adults the pair, at times, had their hands full dealing with gastroscopy, posterior dislocations, head trauma, neurosurgery, laparotomy, removing gravel driven into people's spines, reverse saphenous vein grafts, a suicide bomber that left at least 70 dead and removing shrapnel from all parts of the human body. To relax, Steve usually read a book or cruised around on his AfricaBike, while Rachel perfected the art of "power shopping" in a war zone.

Steve and Rachel donated their AfricaBikes to the troops and are committed to purchasing two of their own in Vancouver Island to help the BikeTown project. Assuming that the AfricaBikes aren't run over by big, green tanks or landed on by fighter jets, the AfricaBike might have found another good home for the future. The AfghanBike?    

For a visual glimpse into the Afghanistan trip head to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/basecampcomm/sets/72157603965244255/

BikeTown Africa 2007 Video

For those who are wondering, intrigued, curious, not-sure, looking for a glimpse into real African life, bike lovers, humanitarians, optimistic, etc ... take a few moments to check out this video at the link below produced by our friends at Bicycling Magazine and the Rodale Institute.   

The video shows Bicycling's Steve Madden teaming up with Bristol Myers-Squibb and Kona in AIDS ravaged Katima, Namibia, to give away 150 bikes to home healthcare workers so they can better reach patients infected with HIV to provide medication and care.

http://www.myvideo.co.za/video/biketown-africa-2007

The Power of One

Most good things can start with a single persons vision. Just look at electricity, ice cream, the boogyboard and snowboard - all things inspired by a devoted individual. Of course, these concepts and ideas most likely wouldn't have spawned without the presence of other outside forces, but in the end it was one who took the reins and ran. That's why it's a pleasure to introduce Christine George.

Christine contacted us about a month ago with a focused plan: organize a fundraising campaign to assist Kona BikeTown with its AfricaBike project. Might sound easy, but is it really?

A highly talented senior at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Christine’s mission is to raise $10,000 for the BikeTown Africa program which would not only directly help in the treatment of numerous HIV/AIDS patients but also donate roughly 100 AfricaBikes to the program.

Christine is also no stranger to fundraising or Africa. In July 2007, she led a research team in Mali, West Africa, to study the abundance, distribution and infection status of Aedes mosquitoes – where she raised $25,000 for the expedition. Our support for Christine’s motivated and dedicated fundraiser for the BikeTown Africa program is simply: awesome.

With the campaign having officially started on Feb. 4th, Christine has already raised more than $1,000 and is on track to exceed her overall monetary goal. This year we will be traveling four times to Africa in June and Aug., stopping in Mozambique, Swaziland and twice in South Africa.

For more information on how to participate in Christine's BikeTown Africa fundraising campaign cmgeorge@vt.edu, how to adopt an AfricaBike or how to get involved in the project, please contact Keith Cozzens at kcozzens@basecampcomm.com or 307.734.7575.