- Executive Office of Veterans Services
Type of Service: Free Bicycles for Seasonal Workers
Location: South Yarmouth, MA
Date of Service: July 1, 2025
Name: Richard Banks
In South Yarmouth, U.S. Navy Veteran Joe Ferns and his wife Audrey have spent years quietly changing lives, one bicycle at a time. Each summer, they collect and repair used bicycles to give free of charge to seasonal J-1 workers who come to Cape Cod from around the world.
These international workers often arrive without transportation, family, or local connections. Joe and Audrey step in to make their stay easier, providing more than 100 reconditioned bicycles every year. Each bike is carefully restored to ensure it’s safe, reliable, and ready for daily use.
Their generosity doesn’t stop there. Joe and Audrey deliver the bicycles directly to workers wherever they are on Cape Cod, offer free repairs when needed, and even collect the bikes at the end of the season. Every part of this program—from the repairs to the deliveries—is funded entirely out of their own pockets.
For the J-1 employees who receive them, the bicycles mean freedom, independence, and a warm welcome to Cape Cod. Joe and Audrey’s kindness exemplifies the true spirit of service, extending far beyond their military roots and into the heart of their community.
