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Volunteer John Pope has repaired bikes in Anacortes for decades, boosting mobility, independence and community connection.
When someone needs a bike in Anacortes, Washington, their search often leads them to John Pope.
An avid cyclist and engineer with a passion for fixing things, Pope has spent nearly three decades volunteering to repair bikes for the Anacortes community. He works on everything—from bent frames and out-of-tune gears to unassembled bikes and even abandoned ones recovered by the local police.
“A bike can open the door to freedom and new possibilities; it can be the reason someone can visit family or hold down a job,” Pope said. “I believe anyone should have the option to own a bike.”
Pope began partnering with The Salvation Army Anacortes Corps in the late 1990s after the Anacortes Police Chief started calling him before impounding unclaimed bikes. He’d pick the bikes up in a trailer, repair what he could, and prepare them for bike drives at The Salvation Army.
Through his efforts, hundreds of refurbished bikes have found new homes, providing free transportation and fostering independence for individuals and families in Anacortes.
The bike drives began in the Anacortes Corps parking lot, where Pope and a team of mechanics repaired bikes in a single day. He said that in the early years, they would fix around two dozen bikes each year.
“It became a great partnership where we would get the bikes ready for use, and The Salvation Army would get them out into the community,” he said.
“A bike can open the door to freedom and new possibilities; it can be the reason someone can visit family or hold down a job.”
John Pope
Today, Pope and his team work out of a loft space inside the Anacortes food pantry, where he said at least 100 bikes are given out through The Salvation Army each year.
“It’s just grown over the years,” Pope said. “If anyone in Anacortes needs a bike, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to get one.” He added that if someone needs a specific bike, such as a tricycle, he will help source and repair one.
Anacortes, with its smaller population of about 18,000, is a close-knit community where neighbors tend to know each other, he said, making it easy for word to spread about available bikes.
Those community connections have also helped increase donations. Residents often contact Pope or the Anacortes Corps to drop off old, damaged or unused bikes.
Over the years, Pope said they’ve also received larger donations—sometimes dozens of bikes at a time—from groups like the Skagit Valley Bicycle Club and retailers such as Walmart, which has donated new, unassembled bikes.
“It’s a great example of this wonderful community coming together to take care of each other,” Pope said.
The Salvation Army Anacortes Food Bank Director Paula John has worked with Pope to transform part of the pantry into a multipurpose bike repair space and helps visitors when they come to select a bike.
“Clients are ecstatic when they see the lineup of bikes and get to choose one,” John said. “Some have never owned a bike before, and others have been making do with ones that are broken or too small.”
She recalled a man who had just started a new job and depended on his bike for transportation. When someone stole his bike, he wasn’t sure how he would get to work.
“He came by because he had heard of other people receiving bikes from The Salvation Army,” John said. “He was able to select a new bike and was so excited. He just said, ‘Now I don’t have to worry about losing my job.’”
Pope noted that while bike theft still happens, the Anacortes Police Department has reported a significant drop in bike thefts in recent years, crediting Pope’s efforts to get bikes into the hands of the community as one reason for the decline.
“People know where to go to receive a free bike,” Pope said.
In addition to providing bikes to those who visit The Salvation Army, the Anacortes Corps distributes additional bikes to other nonprofits, including the Anacortes Family Center, which offers emergency shelter.
“John has been such a blessing to the community,” said Anacortes Corps Officer Lt. Brett Harrison, adding that Pope’s work has helped many get to work and school.
“Last year, we were able to give away 150 bikes to children, teens and adults in need of transportation,” she said.
For Pope, ensuring everyone can experience the joy and freedom a bike brings is more than just transportation—it’s about bringing independence and building a connected community.
“There’s nothing better than having free transportation,” Pope said. “You feel that freedom riding down the road, the wind on your face; it’s a moment of pure peace.”
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