06/03/2026
๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป'๐ ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ. ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐
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๐ง๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐
, ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐
๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ.
"๐๐ต'๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ช๐ต๐ฆ ๐ข ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฅ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ข๐ด๐ต ๐ต๐ธ๐ฐ ๐บ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ด, ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ฏ'๐ต ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฌ?"
Those were Fabian's words to me just moments before this photo was taken.
Two and a half years earlier, our paths crossed at a pivotal moment. I had recently joined Apex as Program Manager when the Executive Director resigned. The organization was struggling to find its footing, and I often found myself wondering what the future held. One afternoon, while sitting alone in the bike shop, a young man walked through the door and introduced himself.
"๐๐ช, ๐'๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐ฃ๐ช๐ข๐ฏ."
He told me he had been a participant years earlier when Apex was known as the Community Bicycle Center. He had heard the bike shop and youth programming had slowed down and wanted to check in.
As we talked, I learned that Fabian was attending So. ME Community College and commuting nearly 40 miles round trip by e-bike, even during the winter.
Then I asked him what CBC had meant to him. At age 14, Fabian had felt lost and uncertain. After several invitations from staff, he finally stopped by the program. He wasn't interested in bicycles at first. What drew him in was the welcoming atmosphere and the feeling that he belonged. Soon he caught the "bike bug," but more importantly, he found confidence, purpose, and a community that believed in him. Then he asked a question I'll never forget:
"๐๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ช๐ต ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ?"
At a moment when I was questioning whether Apex could rebuild, Fabian reminded me why it mattered.
He began volunteering immediately. Months later, when I became ED, Fabian became my first hire. Together, with the help of an incredible staff, we helped revitalize the bike shop, rebuild our Earn-a-Bike program, and restore the welcoming culture that had first inspired him a decade earlier.
Since then, Apex has served more than 400 youth and helped young people build over 350 bicycles.
Today, Fabian is embarking on his next adventureโhiking the AT, followed by a cross-country bike journey and eventually the PCT. His imagination, determination, and courage continue to inspire all of us.
Fabian's story reminds us that Apex is about much more than bicycles. It is about helping young people discover who they are and what they can become. Sometimes those young people return years later to help the next generation find their own path.
Ten years ago, Apex helped shape Fabian's future.
Two years ago, Fabian helped shape Apex's future.
Today, there are more young people waiting for that same opportunity.
I hope you will help us write the next chapter.
Make a gift today https://secure.qgiv.com/for/apexyouthorganization/.
With gratitude,
Michael Chapman
Executive Director
