Carrboro in Motion event highlights several local organizations and nonprofits

The Town of Carrboro hosted the latest in a series of Carrboro in Motion events at Estes Park Apartments on Saturday, Nov. 19.

The event brought together many government and nonprofit agencies including El Centro Hispano, Orange County Public Library, Bike Carrboro, NEXT, Red Ridge NC Bike Share, Orange Literacy and Carrboro Transportation Choices.

The event aims to promote the goals of the Inclusive Carrboro Communications and Community Engagement Plan by establishing a presence in and interacting with the people of the community.

Kristin Bennett, the cybrary supervisor for the Orange County Public Library, said the events celebrate building relationships within the community and that it is an opportunity to help teach residents how to utilize library resources.

“Rather than always saying, ‘Come to us, come to the library,’ we want to go out to them,” Bennett said. “It's a two-way street.”

She said the library brought promotional handouts, drawstring bags, pens and pencils to give away. They also helped people sign up for library cards. 

In addition to the library, other agencies also brought their resources and shows to the event. 

According to a press release from Carrboro, a live Zumba class led by Oscar Garcia was held and the Mobile Health Unit provided by El Centro Hispano provided basic health screenings.

Carrboro Communication and Engagement staff provided general information about Town services, including volunteer opportunities and programs, and the "Party Trailer" provided games and activities for children. Snacks and drinks were also supplied.

Chapel Hill Transit brought route information, and BikeShare, a program by Red Ridge NC, helped people fix their bikes, as well as exchange broken bikes for working ones if they cannot be repaired.

“When they say ‘Yes, I do have a bike, but it doesn't run,’ our team is going to be there on the ground ready to help get that bike rolling again," Mike Holland, the lead organizer for BikeShare, said. 

BikeShare also helped those who want to know more about bikes find a class, Chandler Holland, the founder and director of Red Ridge NC, said.

Catherine Lazorko, the communication and engagement director for the Town of Carrboro, said this event is the second Carrboro in Motion event the Town has hosted. The first one took place in October at Carolina Apartments.

Despite both of the Carrboro in Motion events being held in apartment complexes, Lazorko said the event is not exclusive to apartment residents. In the future, she said, the Town plans to host more Carrboro in Motion events across the town.

“After this event in November, we will be taking a little break, because these are really designed as block parties, and they're going to be outside," Lazorko said. "And with the weather getting colder, we're going to just take a break until spring, and then we'll start up again."

For future events, Lazrko said the Town aspires to bring along more partners. She hopes that through the events, the Town can find an even stronger connection with the community.

“We envision having what we're kind of calling neighborhood block parties happening at town parks, at more apartment complexes, and in neighborhoods,” Lazorko said.

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