volunteer opportunities
On-bike Volunteer
As a pilot or safety with Portland Wheelers you will operate as part of a pod with other volunteers to bring the joy and excitement of biking to those who can’t ride on their own. With our training, as a Pilot you will learn to confidently and safely operate our Van Raam OPair wheelchair bikes and engage the wheeler riding with you. You will also become familiar with the role of Safety, riding your own bike and being the eyes and ears of the pod to ensure safe street crossings and movement around vehicles. As an on-bike volunteer you will interact with fellow volunteers, wheelers, and our ride partners’ staff members. Interested volunteers are at least 16 years of age, complete a 4-hour training session, and commit to volunteer for a minimum of one shift each month during our ride season, May – October. Given the nature of the activity and the equipment, the manufacturer has set a weight limit of 225lbs for the Pilot.
American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter
Portland Wheelers partners with many local organizations to provide rides to a wide range of people. When we provide rides to deaf members of the community we seek to be able to communicate in the way many are most comfortable. As an ASL volunteer with Portland Wheelers you would meet us at scheduled ride locations as needed and provide interpretation between pilots and wheelers. This could be a great volunteer opportunity for someone who is learning ASL or wants to keep their language skills sharp while bringing joy and fun to those we serve. The ability for the interpreter to join in the ride on a bicycle could be helpful (and fun!) but is not necessary. The anticipated time requirement is 2 – 4 hours per month from May to October and will typically be weekday mornings. All are welcome – from students to retirees.
Basic Trike Maintenance Tech
Portland Wheelers has a fleet of 7 Van Raam OPair wheelchair bikes (the trikes) and two bicycles. With significant daily use of this equipment comes wear and tear. As a volunteer maintenance tech you would perform basic safety checks on the trikes. Tasks would include checking tires for wear and verifying proper air pressure, checking brakes to ensure proper functioning, running through the gears, inspecting for loose or damaged hardware and similar basic maintenance tasks. A background in bike mechanics is not necessary and we will train individuals on what to look for and how to keep the trikes and bikes in great shape. Portland Wheelers is looking for a number of volunteer techs and these volunteers could anticipate being able to spend anywhere from 2 – 10 hours per month with us depending on their availability. Generally these hours will be weekdays before 8 am or after 5pm, and any time on weekends.
