In the past five weeks he’s fixed or sold dozens of bikes and donated the proceeds - $2,600 and counting – to Animal Friends Humane Society and SCPA Cincinnati – the two agencies where he got his dogs.
The Fairfield man didn’t plan to spend his summer fixing up bikes – other than an occasional job for a friend – but after someone messaged him and said she had a bike she’d like to give him a bike to sell and donate the money to the SPCA Cincinnati – it gave him an idea.
So he fixed the bike, sold it on his Facebook page – Ferg The Bike Dude – and got more and more requests to fix bikes. Once the word got out about his efforts on social media, people started donating bikes for his cause.
“With all the crap going on in the world right now, people want to do something nice,’’ Ferguson said.
“I needed this too. I needed something positive I could focus on and this is it. I thought it would be a flukely little thing – but it took off. It has absolutely exploded. To me, it’s mind-boggling.”
It took off so well that his garage is full of bikes and he’s had to tell people to keep the bikes until he has room in his garage to fix and work on them.
“People are so generous. People want to help. People are not only buying a bike from me, but they’re donating money,” Ferguson said.
“I did some work; it was a $20 fee. The woman handed me $100 and all she wanted was a hug. She got the hug.”
It’s cutting into his riding time – not that he minds too much, especially in the high heat and humidity of the summer. Ferguson said he plans to continue his efforts through the end of August, spending a good part of the fall riding.
“I’ll start back up in the spring – unless I can find somebody who donate a warehouse for me and then I’ll do this all winter,’’ Ferguson said.
“We’re just incredibly grateful. He’s just a kind soul who exudes positive energy,’’ said Chris Seelbach, president and chief executive officer at SCPA Cincinnati.
“He walked in our doors (one week) with $1,100. He makes us remember why we do what we do. It’s meant a great deal to us and the work we do. Every cent goes toward changing the lives of animals in our community.”
Major Rebecca Ervin of the Fairfield Police Department helped his cause as well.
“I had seen Chris’ post and donated five or six bikes we couldn’t find the owners for and it was past 30 days,’’ Ervin said.
The Animal Friends Humane Society said the dollars he has donated so far will go toward routine things like cleaning supplies but also something for the dogs.
“We want to buy special treats and enrichment items...so the dogs have something to do in their kennel,” said Jennifer Goris, a member of the shelter’s board of directors.
“He has a wonderful heart. He’s been wonderful. I love his whole concept. I love that he wants to give back to us.”
To reach Ferguson, email fergthebikedude@gmail.com or visit his F,acebook page, Fergthebikedude
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