New bike racks and workstation installed downtown  to encourage bike riding, youth empowerment 

It will be easier to ride your bike around Selma now that youth volunteers from the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama joined Blackbelt Benefit Group to install five new bike racks and a state-of-the-art bike workstation downtown. 

The installations on Aug. 12 will promote cycling in Selma as a viable means of transportation, according to Blackbelt Benefit Group’s Clay Carmichael. “You may not want to ride your bike if there is nowhere to chain it up,” Carmichael said. 

The Montgomery Bicycle Club was instrumental in making the project happen. Carmichael said they donated $1,500 to BBBG to get the racks and the workstation. Carmichael said the BBBG matched that. In addition, the BBBG got sponsorships from Henry Brick, Arts Revive, Trustmark Bank, Rhaglan Group (St. James Hotel), Cosby-Carmichael and Bush Hog.  

The racks are located at the Selma Dallas County Public Library, on Water Avenue at Play Selma, the St. James and ArtsRevive. There are also racks at the Dallas County Courthouse and at the Selma Welcome Center. Youth from the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama’s Jonathan Daniels Youth Pilgrimage helped install the racks. 

No racks could have been installed without the permission of the City of Selma. “We are immensely grateful to the City of Selma, our local partners and the youth volunteers for joining us in this transformative project,” said Josh Wilkerson, president of Blackbelt Benefit Group. “By installing these bike racks and a workstation, we are not only facilitating cycling, but also fostering a sense of empowerment and engagement among our youth.” 

In addition to getting the bike rack installation project off the ground, the Montgomery Bicycle Club will host the Selma to Montgomery Bike Ride in 2025. This much-anticipated event will celebrate the shared enthusiasm for cycling and foster a stronger sense of community throughout the region. 

For information about the Jonathan Daniels Youth Pilgrimage, contact Breanna Mitchell,  Missioner for Racial Healing & Pilgrimage with the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, bmitchell@dioala.org, (205) 715-2060. 

For information regarding the Montgomery Bicycle Club and the upcoming Selma to  Montgomery Bike Ride in 2025, call Jeff Feet at 334-322-0639. 

For information about Blackbelt Benefit Group go to www.bbgal.org. Find them on Facebook and other social media. You can also Email info@bbgal.org or call 334-410-0582.