This past Wednesday, LBK Board President Kurt Glathar and I had the privilege of accepting the 2026 Nebraska Recycling Council Commonwealth Award on behalf of the Lincoln Bike Kitchen at the Nebraska Recycling Council's annual Beyond the Bin Conference. The award recognizes businesses, individuals or organizations that improve their communities through outstanding environmental stewardship and sustainable materials management.
While it's always an honor to be recognized, this award is really about the people who make our work possible every day.
At LBK, sustainability has always been at the heart of our mission. Most people see the bicycles we repair and distribute, but there is also an incredible amount of work happening behind the scenes to ensure that as much material as possible is reused, repurposed, or responsibly recycled. From refurbishing donated bicycles to salvaging usable parts and recycling materials that can't be saved, we work hard to keep valuable resources out of the landfill while making bicycles accessible to our community.
That's why this recognition belongs to our volunteers, staff, and board members. It belongs to the people who sort parts, strip unusable bikes, organize materials, and help us find a second use for items that might otherwise be thrown away. It belongs to everyone who believes that transportation, sustainability, and community service can go hand in hand.
I'd like to give special recognition to our scrapping team and to Bryan Dance, Keenan Cain, and Paul Versaw, who regularly haul materials to local recycling centers. Their efforts are not always visible, but they are a critical part of our environmental impact and our ability to fulfill our mission. The work they do helps ensure that thousands of pounds of material are diverted from landfills each year.
We're also deeply grateful for our longtime partnership with the Nebraska Recycling Council. Their support has helped us grow our capacity to serve Lincoln. In 2017, they provided funding for our scrap trailer, and more recently they helped fund our Mobile Outreach Trailer, both of which have expanded our ability to connect with the community and responsibly manage materials.
Awards are wonderful, but what matters most to me is what they represent. This recognition is a reminder that small actions add up. Every bicycle donated, every volunteer hour contributed, every part reused, and every load of scrap recycled helps create a healthier, more sustainable community.
Thank you for being part of this work. Whether you've volunteered, donated a bike, made a financial contribution, or simply shared our story with others, you've played a role in making this recognition possible.
