Godet-Calogerases work to promote fundraising for Veggie Wheels
The Olean community came together on Sunday for a bike ride to help neighbors in need across Cattaraugus County.
The second annual Veggie Wheels Slow Ride took place on May 5 in Olean. The Slow Ride is a fundraiser for Veggie Wheels, a summer program started in 2015, which brings fresh produce to low-income families and individuals throughout Cattaraugus County. Veggie Wheels was started by Athena Godet-Calogeras, with help from her husband, Jean-François Godet-Calogeras, professor emeritus of theology and Franciscan studies at St. Bonaventure University.
“It was an idea that came to my wife, Athena, who was, and still is, volunteering at the Cattaraugus County Health Department,” said Jean-François Godet-Calogeras.
Athena Godet-Calogeras thought of her own upbringing when creating the idea of Veggie Wheels. While growing up in a government housing project in Cleveland, she remembered a local peddler would bring vegetables to the neighborhood in his pickup truck. Each week, her mother would spend a few dollars to buy fresh produce.
“Remembering that, she imagined that we could buy fresh produce from small local farms and deliver it to the people who need it,” Jean-François Godet-Calogeras said. “Then, we could teach them how to cook and use the fruits and vegetables and actually develop some relationships in the process.”
At the time she came up with the idea of Veggie Wheels, Athena Godet-Calogeras was on the board of Canticle Farm, a community-supported farm that was started by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany.
“Athena connected the dots: here is a quality farm, along with others in the area, and here are people who do not have access to good produce because they are low-income, they don’t have transportation and they are not healthy,” said Jean-François Godet-Calogeras.
Thus, Veggie Wheels was born. All Athena Godet-Calogeras needed to make her vision a reality were volunteers and funding.
“She started writing grants and gathering donations to purchase veggies and fruits from the farmers. Some of the farmers even donate a little bit more than what is being purchased,” Jean-François Godet-Calogeras said.
Athena Godet-Calogeras suggested to her husband and Chuck Walker, a friend and retired professor of psychology, that they organize a bike ride as a fundraiser for Veggie Wheels, since both men enjoy cycling.
Jean-François Godet-Calogeras described the first Slow Ride for Veggie Wheels, which occurred last year, as a bit modest, but still successful. Learning from the first event, the Veggie Wheels team involved more people in the preparation of this year’s ride. An event committee gathered sponsorships and baskets that were then put into a raffle for the event.
Despite less than ideal weather, riders gathered at the Jamestown Community College campus in Olean, where the ride began. From JCC, the route lead bikers south on North Union Street to Henley Street. Then, riders proceeded along Allegheny River Valley Trail to Gargoyle Park, where a rest stop was set up with help from some St. Bonaventure seniors.
“The weather was not the best. It was cool, to say the least, and drizzling a little, but it was very successful,” said Jean-François Godet-Calogeras. “We had four students [at the rest stop]. They were there with bananas, power bars and water bottles. So, we stopped for five or 10 minutes to eat, drink and talk before finishing the ride.”
Thanks to the Slow Ride, Veggie Wheels now has its budget for the season, which is slated to include visits to sites in Olean and Salamanca once a week, beginning at the end of June and lasting until Labor Day. In 2018, Veggie Wheels had 17 volunteers, who helped bring fresh produce to hundreds of people across the various sites.
“In the six sites served by the Veggie Wheels, four in Olean and two in Salamanca, there were a total of 310 children and 376 adults, 111 who are elderly and/or disabled with a total of 686 individuals,” said Athena Godet-Calogeras.
This year, they plan to expand into Delevan, a village along Route 16 in Cattaraugus County. In the future, Veggie Wheels hopes to raise enough money for a refrigerated truck. Jean-François Godet-Calogeras also hopes to get students further involved with Veggie Wheels, even though most of the group’s work takes place during the summer when most students are gone.
“At least the Slow Ride happening before the end of the school year allowed for the students to help with advertising and the rest stop at Gargoyle Park,” he said. “However, those students who have worked the event this year are all graduating. We will need more.”
Anyone interested in learning more about Veggie Wheels can contact Athena Godet-Calogeras at agodet-calogeras@cattco.org or Jean-François Godet-Calogeras at jefgocal@sbu.edu.
By Elizabeth Pantano, Contributing Writer
pantanem18@bonaventure.edu
