A huge highlight over the past year has been the opportunity to connect with more volunteers again and see just how much we can accomplish as an organization thanks to their amazing work. It’s been great to see many familiar faces from before the pandemic more often again — and also some wonderful new folks!

Among the latter are Rachel and Aaron Lammer, who first heard about BWorks at Earth Day this past spring in Forest Park. Rachel signed up first, getting rolling helping with a Learn-To-Ride class, and then encouraged her husband to try it too. The duo have since helped with multiple Earn-A-Bike and Learn-To-Ride series in 2022. “I really enjoy helping the kids understand the way bikes work and seeing them have fun while learning to ride,” says Rachel. “It’s also a nice way to spend time together.” The Lammers moved to St. Louis in 2021 from Texas, along with their two dogs, Louis and Dingo, and two cats, Cowboy and Charlie. They spent several years coordinating volunteer animal clinics with Austin Pets Alive and San Antonio Pets Alive. Aaron works as an organic chemist, and Rachel is a digital product manager.

Thank you, Rachel and Aaron, for all your great recent work with our students!

Patrick is our executive director and has been involved with BWorks for two decades. He’s watched the nonprofit evolve in big ways since its early days, all the while helping ensure that we never lose sight of our mission while growing our reach in sustainable ways. On any given day you’ll find him doing everything from overseeing operations and working with our board to stepping in to help with a tricky mechanical matter, getting bikes here and there around the St. Louis region, and photographing a class — sometimes all at once, it seems.

Since October of 2012, Quorey has been helping out in a multitude of ways. His background in computer diagnostics and his interest in bicycles as transportation led him to BWorks. In the computer shop he leads our volunteers in refurbishing computers for our students in Earn-A-Computer. Over the years he has overseen the refurbishing of thousands of computers. When he is not working to keep the computer shop running, you will find him helping in the retail shop, ensuring our customers find the perfect recycled bike.

Without support staff surrounding our teachers we would never be able to work with so many youth. Bworks support staff does everything from building computers or bicycles for our Earn and Learn programs, picking up donations of materials, building retail bicycles and even fundraising.

Paul can be found in our bicycle shop refurbishing all types of bicycles for our youth programs and retail shop. You will also find him dishing out puns as he helps move bicycles from our remote donation sites back to BWorks. He has been working in the bicycle industry for an amazing 40 years in various shops around the region. The expertise he brings to our shop and the bikes we build for so many kids is a huge asset.