On Saturday Sept. 29 the Management Fellows and the Office of Sustainability hosted the commencement of DePauw's free bike rental program.
Students, faculty and community members utilized the bikes almost immediately. Approximately 40-50 individuals registered on Saturday, and four to five more on Monday, according to the Assistant Sustainability Director Anthony Baratta.
The sustainability intern, Ali Pistoia, shared their excitement.
"There were a lot of students there, which is what we like to see since [this program] is on DePauw's campus. We're glad they had the courage to try it out," Pistoia said.
A fair number of domestic and international students were present at the event, as noted by the Sustainability Director Carol Steele.
Registration and sign out for the bikes is available everyday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Walden Inn. A tiger card or credit card, as well as another form of ID are needed for registration. Bikes can be signed out for 24 hours and are available for renewal. Late fees may apply and a renter is responsible for any damaged or stolen bikes, which can be charged to a student's account.
The bikes were purchased locally from Covered Bridge Cyclery, located on the Putnam County Courthouse Square in downtown Greencastle, as noted by Gary Lemon, director of the Management Fellows Program. The bike program spent $8,000 for 20 bikes, which were purchased with the aid of local sponsors such as Casa Grande, People Pathways and DePauw University. An endowed fund has also been set up for minimal repairs.
Upon reflection, Lemon expressed one regret.
"I wish the group of seniors who created the program would have gotten a chance to actually ride the bikes. Unfortunately, the biggest challenge was getting the bikes here. The devil was in the details."