We are thrilled to have timebank member Florence Hamilton interviewing and writing profiles of fellow timebank members! Her profile of Kansas Chuck is the first of what we hope will be a fun and diverse series. If you know of a timebank member who you think would make an interesting subject, please let us know!
“KANSAS”, the name he calls himself, is an expert on bicycles-he builds, remakes, and repairs them. This includes adult three-wheelers. The Doña Ana Communities United Timebank website tells members to call Kansas if they need or want bicycle services. Kansas says he is also a machinist and a handyman and he can and will do carpentry. Of course, these come after bicycles.
In 1979, he says he dedicated his life to furthering human powered transportation. In January 1984 he became car-free. Kansas says he can and will teach anyone how to change their lifestyle from fossil fuel transportation to human powered transportation. This is his mission.
Kansas came to Las Cruces to live after deciding twelve years of Arizona heat was enough.
Claiming ADHD disability and needing help with understanding the government’s rules and regulations regarding his Medicare and maintaining his disability status, Kansas says he was introduced to Kari Bachman, our DACU director- he was told she could help him. He says Kari told him he could probably get help through the timebank, an organization whose members exchanged gifts for needs, posting both on the internet. Kansas says the concept of a no money economy and people helping other people for free was hard for him to believe. But he was invited to and attended meetings where members listed their gifts and needs and other members really claimed those gifts and used their own skills to supply other members’ needs. Moreover, he had fun at these meetings. He joined the timebank.
Kansas now calls DACU his family and says he’s at the office frequently. The intersection mural project made him realize there is power in a group. DACU members had power. He says he realized he liked being here and Las Cruces had begun to feel like home.
Kansas still seeks help with Medicare and the rules and regulations of his disability. He looks forward to having a place where he can make bikes, remake bikes, repair bikes and most of all teach the skill to kids of all ages. He also stresses human powered transportation is a must.
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