03/02/2026
Courtesy
Gretheline Bolandrina with Yvette Powell Hess of Bikes for Change.
Former Douglas residents lead ‘Bikes for Change’ road trip
ROCKVILLE, Md. — A chance breakfast conversation in Gardner has turned into a life-changing mission for the North Quabbin community, led by a familiar face in local education. Gretheline Bolandrina, DHA, MSN Ed, RN, CRRN, who recently retired as the Academy Director of the Bay Path Practical Nursing Academy in Charlton (October 2025), has traded the classroom for the open road to deliver hope on two wheels.
Alongside her husband, Joseph, the retired director spearheaded a "Road Trip to Deliver Bikes for Change," a mission fueled by the overwhelming support of the Bay Path community, local residents, and the spirit of global Bayanihan (a core Filipino cultural value representing communal unity, work, and cooperation to achieve a common goal without expecting anything in return.)
A legacy of service continues: Partnership of Purpose, 2012–2026
Having spent over a decade guiding future nurses at Bay Path Practical Nursing Academy, Dr. Bolandrina is no stranger to humanitarian efforts. While her retirement in late 2025 marked the end of an era for nursing education, it signaled the beginning of a new "tour of duty" alongside her husband.
The 2026 project began when the Bolandrinas visited Bruce and Mary Willoughby, the retiring owners of O'Neil's Bicycle Shop in Gardner. Faced with hundreds of used bicycles that needed a new home, Joseph reached out to Bikes for the World (BfW), a non-profit they have supported for years and have helped to send shipments to the Philippines (coordinated with Bikes for the Philippines).
This mission is the continuation of a shared passion; both Joseph and Gretheline have been volunteers with Bikes for the Philippines since 2012. For 14 years, the couple has worked in tandem—collecting, organizing, and delivering donated bicycles from their local Massachusetts community to the BfW headquarters. Their long-standing partnership has been instrumental in ensuring that hundreds of bicycles have reached the Philippines through Bikes for the Philippines, transforming the lives of students and workers across the archipelago. Hundreds more for the rest of the world through Bikes for the World.
Powered by the Bay Path community
The mission was a true team effort. The Bay Path community—comprising former students, faculty, and local friends—helped the Bolandrinas reach their fundraising goals. A key celebration and fundraiser held on Gretheline’s 59th birthday at Kuru Kuru Ramen shop in the Worcester Public Market provided the necessary funds to rent the 20-foot U-Haul truck required for the long haul to Maryland.
"I have seen how second-hand bikes enrich lives," Joseph explained. "From helping a student graduate to giving a small-scale entrepreneur a way to reach the market, these bikes are tools for independence."
Navigating the "Plan B" route
The trek to the Bikes for the World headquarters in Rockville, Md., tested the couple’s resolve. The duo spent hours navigating around New York’s low-clearance parkways.
"Every time we saw a 'NO TRUCKS' sign on a parkway on-ramp, we had to scramble for a Plan B," Joseph shared. Despite adding hours to their transit time, the couple arrived safely to deliver 55 bicycles to BfW leaders Yvette Powell Hess and Taylor Jones.
A commemorative honor
In recognition of their years of advocacy, Yvette presented Joseph with an Official Bikes for the World 2005–2025 Commemorative Coin. The Bolandrinas plan to keep the coin as a family heirloom, eventually passing it to their grandson, Tidus, to inspire the next generation of service.
For the retired Academy Director, the journey was a reminder that while she may have stepped down from the helm of the practical nursing Academy, her mission to heal and help the world is far from over.
"Life is best shared," the couple reflected. "We are tired, but we have a grateful grin that isn't going away."
