While Chris Usner is the Director of Bike Shop and is also known simply as “the bike guy,” there are many hands that play a role in keeping the Bike Shop and South Street Cycles running efficiently.
Many of these hands also happen to be the hands of three strong, independent, and fiercely competitive women.
In short, while no man is an island, Chris’ island is run by … women!
These women boldly embody many of the finer qualities of cycling and cyclists. Qualities such as compassion, understanding, forgiveness, teamwork, and good sportsmanship.
New addition, Clare Wilson, South Street Ministries’ Bike Shop Coordinator, along with Molly and Lilly Usner — or the “volun-tolds,” as they call themselves — round out this formidable female crew.
With their support, direction, and overwhelming enthusiasm, Bike Shop has made a smooth transition to its new location in the shipping container in the parking lot at 9 Plato Lane and has, to date, assisted in the distribution or repair of over 200 bikes this season.
Who runs the world? GIRLS?
Bike Shop, Summit Metro Parks Rides, Kenmore’s First Fridays, and the Summit Lake Farmers Market are just some of the areas where girl power has been instrumental in assisting Chris in advancing his dream for what Bike Shop could become.
Clare’s journey into bike repairs began with a passion for helping others. Her commitment to community service paved the way for her role at the Bike Shop, where she thrives on assisting and empowering others. From fixing flats to tuning gears, Clare embraces each repair with determination and a willingness to learn.
Her dedication to excellence is matched only by her eagerness to share her newfound knowledge with others, making her a valuable asset in the shop’s mission to support cyclists of all levels. Whether she’s acquiring new skills or tackling intricate repairs, her passion and hands-on approach make her an integral part of the Bike Shop family.
For Molly Usner, dropping off a donation and checking out Bike Shop for her daughter Lilly’s high school service hours quickly turned into a family affair. Molly and her family volunteered throughout their daughter’s time at Archbishop Hoban High School — and when her husband, Chris, stepped on as the Director of Bike Shop, her involvement increased dramatically.
Along with her full-time job as a Community Resource Coordinator at the Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Molly assists with planning and providing support on rides, staffing events, check-in sheets, waivers, and snacks for Bike Shop as well as keeping on top of Chris’ calendar and correspondence.
Even though not fully versed at wrenching on bikes, Molly enjoys assisting youth in fixing what she can. While she loves seeing the smile on a kid’s face when they get to ride off at the end of the evening and take their bike home, Molly mostly enjoys being able to do something together as a family that gives back to the community they live in and seeing her husband achieve his dream of being able to help others and play with bikes for a living.
Lilly Usner is a recent graduate of Archbishop Hoban High School and would have never imagined four years ago that she would still be volunteering even after fulfilling her required hours for graduation. As a senior, Lilly decided she wanted to strive to receive the Blessed Basil Moreau Award for achieving 100 hours of service at the same location. This was a bit of a challenge in some cases — attending Bike Shop while also running cross country. But once the season was over she found herself working side by side with her dad whenever she could — after school, on weekends, even over the holiday breaks. It was not hard for Lilly to reach her 100 hours.
In the spring of 2024, Lilly was honored to receive the Blessed Basil Moreau Award. Even after graduation, Lilly still attends Bike Shop and has become a key member of the Bike Shop family while growing into a leader — helping retrieve bikes off hooks, completing paperwork, and even guiding others in repair. For Lilly, though, service has become something greater than an award and has led to something much more profound: a second family and a community that she loves.
At Bike Shop, women play different roles — whether it be paperwork, helping kids out, wrenching, or being a listening ear — and all are important, showing the youth we serve that roles do not hold a gender.
Summer is a busy, full, and good season for South Street Ministries!
With the robust array of programs, ministries, and community events, the South Street team itself grows over the summer months.
This year a deep and intergenerational team has come alongside the staff to empower Bike Shop, RICH Kids, Restoration House, Reentry, and more. Here’s who is serving this summer …
JOG — Jobs for Ohio Graduates, this year, South Street is blessed to work alongside six high schoolers and recent graduates through the JOG program. Through Summit County funding, these young men and women receive workforce experience while South Street gets the needed person-power to run an amazing RICH Kids Summer Camp. The JOG youth are all helping with RICH Kids and a few with Bike Shop.
Plus, we have a South Street alum serving through JOG this summer: Marcus! We LOVE having youth who have grown up with South Street return as leaders and examples! We will be sharing the JOG youth’s reflections and highlights through the summer months!
- Li’Rique Barber, of JOG, says: “I love it here. This is an upgrade from my last job. Plus, it’s in a church, and South Street has a good name. There is a lot of support through the staff and team. Plus, I like working with the kids. There’s a lot of pluses to RICH Kids!”
EXL — The University of Akron’s Experiential Learning Center provides internships for students seeking an Akron experience that develops their studies and civic engagement. This summer, South Street has two young men serving through the EXL Center: Duane and Quan.
- Quan is working alongside the Reentry team, helping with the abundance of sign-ins, referrals, and services, as well as learning about Criminal Justice as he advances his degree in Psychology.
- Duane is another South Street alum returning to the ministry. Years ago, Duane rode on the South Street van alongside Coach Foster. Now he is serving with the Bike Shop program this summer!
VANTAGE — On the other end of the generational spectrum, Vantage Aging connects individuals over 55 with workforce engagement opportunities for a set period of time to redevelop their employment opportunities. This summer, South Street is working with Eric, Gary, Marvin, and Caroline through the Vantage Program. The gentlemen have been helping onsite at The Front Porch with building maintenance and Bike Shop preparations. Caroline has been serving with RICH Kids and has been a huge support in making daily meals for the children!
- Caroline Huff, of Vantage, says: “This is my first work experience with kids. Every day I make breakfast and lunch for the kids and it makes my day to see them eating and happy! All our teen workers eat too! It’s a positive impact for everyone — the kids, the teens, and for me.”
Expect to hear more from this amazing summer team as the updates and posts keep coming!
We count it all joy to work alongside the youth and elders of our community to see ministries of love and good flourish. Please keep the full and intergenerational South Street team in prayer this summer as we serve.
God is good.
By LaMarr Atchison
South Street Ministries has been proud to serve the Reentry community for over a decade.
Our most notable service is the weekly peer-to-peer support meetings. Every Tuesday from 4-5 p.m., dozens of citizens gather to talk about their lived experiences from before, during, and after incarceration. Most of these individuals experience additional barriers and restrictions upon release from incarceration or community control.
One small barrier that South Street addresses for community members is obtaining their birth certificates. This singular document can stop an individual from obtaining a state ID or driver’s license, social security card, employment, and bank account.
For those born in Ohio, receiving a birth certificate is as simple as going to the local Health Department, filing out an application, and paying a $22 fee. However, for individuals born out of state, the process isn’t always as simple. Many states use a third-party ordering system to order vital records online. Each state has varying processing times, shipping fees, and identity verification requirements.
Some states make online ordering of birth certificates simple and have a turnaround time of about one to two weeks. Other states charge anywhere from $30-100, can take up to six months, and require additional notarized forms to verify identity. Notary requirements are even more challenging to address, as many community members are trying to get their birth certificates to receive a state ID. Some local counties make the process more streamlined and can reduce some of the costs and processing times.
While the process from beginning to end can be difficult, walking with community members through it is humbling and fulfilling. When I hand a community member their birth certificate, the expressions of gratitude make the frustrations of dealing with various third-party organizations and local vital records offices worth every minute of research and phone calls.
South Street counts it an honor and privilege to help returning citizens find their footing, takes solid steps toward a new future, and remind them of their dignity and worth. In prison they may be “just another number,” but we know their name … and so does Jesus. We work hard to help them remember: We’re here for the long haul.
Thank you for supporting the loving, hope-giving efforts of Reentry!
By Kenzie Wash
Our summer has been packed full of fun — and with an incredible team along the way!
As always, thank you to friends, partners, and families for your prayers and support to make this happen for the youth in RICH Kids.
Thanks to Jobs of Ohio Graduates (JOG), we have had the opportunity to be supported by phenomenal teen mentors.
Below are some thoughts from three of our awesome JOG workers so far:
- “I love how interactive [this opportunity] is instead of just sitting behind a counter or flipping burgers. Every single child has their own thoughts and feelings, and they are all unique and caring in their own little ways. All of my coworkers are great, and there are never any problems. We all get along, and I feel like we all are on top of our priorities now with how far we’ve come. I feel like I’ll be back next year for sure — and maybe get a full-time job who knows!” —Jay (12th grade at Firestone High School)
- “One thing I like about South Street is the activities we have for the kids — just to see the kids smile and engage in activities with each other while also building bonds with the other volunteers makes it all worthwhile!” —Karion (11th grade at Firestone High School)
- “I’ve really enjoyed the hands-on activities, and the field trips have been great. Especially the visit to the Aquarium. I love the fact that we go to different places and not just stay in the church. Once I got to know the kids, everything‘s been great. The staff/coworkers have been great to me overall and it’s been an unforgettable summer, especially for my first job.” —Massagy (10th grade at Garfield High School)
In addition, we’d like to extend a HUGE “Thank you” and congratulations to Rique! We are so proud of your accomplishment in graduating high school. Thank you for all your effort and support throughout the program. We wish you the best as you take the next steps with a full-time job!
If you’d like to hear firsthand about our RICH Kids program — including updates, impactful stories of your partnership at work, and connecting with our staff — please join us for our August 17th Donuts and Coffee gathering at The Front Porch Fellowship. We’d love to see you!
By Joe Tucker
This is about the sale of a Honda Civic. (I apologize for the titular pun.)
The Tucker family purchased a used Honda Civic to help with some child transportation needs. Eventually, the vehicle was no longer needed, and the opportunity to release it brought the opportunity to move in partnership with a community member in need of more reliable transportation.
Transportation is a constant need in the ministry …
- Participants at the weekly Reentry Meeting request bus passes.
- With regularity, South Street staff will top off the tanks of individuals beginning their first jobs.
- When available, a 31-Day Bus Pass is like a golden ticket, supporting individuals in the many appointments, interviews, and meetings before them.
- The South Street youth team picks up students from their schools or homes and shuttles them to and from the RICH Kids program in the two South Street vans.
Transportation is a real need.
Consider Stan …
A few months ago, Stan was residing at CBCF (Community Based Correctional Facility) and received a day pass to attend his brother’s funeral. However, his ride became unavailable at the last minute. He called LaMarr in crisis — of course it was important for him to be at his brother’s service. LaMarr and the South Street team helped arrange a ride, and Stan was able to make the service.
A month later, Stan was beginning a new job and needed a “Named Non-Owned Auto Policy” (an extra layer of insurance an employer or insurer will often ask for in order to secure employment). Stan brought this need to Shawn and the South Street team, and we found a way to help him purchase the initial month of the policy.
I arranged a time with Stan to go to the insurance agency and secure this policy. On this particular day, my one-year-old daughter was along for the ride. As we drove to the provider, Stan shared some of the circumstances that led to his incarceration and situation. It was a violent account, and I appreciated his transparency. Moments later, we were waiting in line at the agency, and Stan was playing peek-a-boo with my daughter to help pass the time.
People are not defined by the worst things they’ve done. People are the summation of their full lives. Stan shared with me of the losses he had endured, his own daughters passing, and what it meant for him to simply share some simple, joyful moments together with my little girl.
While working and progressing to a new place, Stan was a regular volunteer at The Front Porch. Shawn Bonner, who mentored and encouraged Stan, was able to attend the high school graduation of Stan’s son. When my vehicle situation changed, Stan inquired about purchasing the Honda Civic — it would be the first legitimate car purchase of his life.
As we arrived at my home to take a thorough look at the vehicle and finalize some of the details of the sale, Stan was surprised. “I knew you looked familiar when I first met you! I used to live next door. When I was at my lowest, I would flop here, and I remember you living here next to us!”
Now years later, Stan’s life has come (and is still coming) full-circle. He is working, he is sober, he’s connected to a community of faith. He’s working on himself and in a healthy relationship.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, when Jesus explains the fullness of loving your neighbor, the Good Samaritan takes time, transportation, and investment in seeing his injured neighbor restored. Loving your neighbor can be a time-intensive and transportation-centric endeavor.
At South Street Ministries, we take the time, we support the transportation, and we partner in the investment of transformed lives. And it is done in the fullness of the love of God.
And sometimes it looks like the sale of a Honda Civic.
Being outside in Ohio in September is almost always a great idea …
So be sure to register TODAY for South Street’s 11th Annual “Trails N Rails” event Saturday, September 21!
This fun-filled day brings friends and family — plus exercise and enjoyment — together to support South Street Ministries and our efforts in the community. It’s an event you don’t want to miss!
The day’s details include:
Where:
Dirty River Bicycle Works
110 N Main St
Akron, OH 44308
When:
September 21, 2024
Schedule:
- 8:30-9:30 a.m. — Registration at Dirty River Bicycle Works
- 10 a.m. — All participants depart on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad train
Depart from the Akron Northside Station and arrive at Botzum Trailhead Station - 10:30 a.m. — Bike Riders ride from Botzum Trailhead to Mustill Store Trailhead; Walkers walk from Botzum Trailhead to Blimp City, where vans will take you to Mustill Store Trailhead
- 11:30 a.m. — Complimentary picnic for everyone at Mustill Store Trailhead
So …
Trails N Rails is a community favorite … EVERYONE enjoys the day outdoors together. Please join us!
Your prayerful support of South Street Ministries makes caring, compassionate Kingdom work possible.
It is your generous giving that keeps us walking alongside children, families, and neighbors who need hope. Together, we’re making an impact alongside you to renew our community for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Thank you, and God bless you!