The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) will host a bicycle collection drive at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield on behalf of the Working Bikes Cooperative, a Chicago-based not-for-profit organization that repairs, restores and recycles old bicycles for use by people in need in Illinois and around the world.

While Working Bikes Cooperative volunteers are in Springfield at Conservation World at the Illinois State Fair, they will be collecting old and/or broken bicycles from central Illinois donors.

Anyone interested in donating a used bicycle to the program can do so on Tuesday, Aug. 16 through Thursday, Aug. 18 from 12 noon until 6 p.m. at the IDNR gate located next to Gate 7 on north side of the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield (Taintor Road at Eighth St.).

Working Bikes Cooperative is a not-for-profit organization operating on funds raised through the sale of repaired bicycles at its storefront at 2434 S. Western Avenue in Chicago. Working Bikes Cooperative uses sales proceeds to donate other bicycles to charitable organizations in Illinois and to ship bicycles to people in need in nations including Ghana, Tanzania, Angola, Guatemala and Peru.

According to the Working Bikes Cooperative, due to wage differences a bicycle worth $20 in Chicago can be worth the equivalent of $1,000 in Africa. Each year, Working Bikes gives away more than 5,000 bicycles locally and internationally.

Working Bikes Cooperative representatives will promote the bicycle recycling program at the Leave No Child Inside tent just inside the main Conservation World entrance at the Illinois State Fair on Aug. 16-18 from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.