Lindsey Hayward

Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Lindsey Hayward grew up in a house at the top of a hill. She cruised down the hill on her bicycle with her feet off the pedals. “I remember the day, when I was eight years old, that I first rode up the hill to the top of our driveway,” she says. “I remember the feeling of freedom and confidence of being on a bike.” Hayward rode her bike to class at Creighton University in Omaha and got into long-distance cycling while earning a degree in psychology with a minor in business. She returned to Colorado Springs and worked for three years with Kids on Bikes, a local nonprofit focused on low-income fifth-graders. “They could earn a bike by setting a goal and reaching it,” she explains. “Each kid would set goals in academics, character or behavior.” In 2010, she moved to Eugene with her then fiancé, now husband, Darrin Hayward. She completed an MBA program in entrepreneurship at the University of Oregon in 2014, and found work with United Way of Lane County, making home visits for early childhood education. In May of 2017 she was hired as operations manager of JUMP Bikes, the company that supplies and maintains the blue bicycles offered for rental by PeaceHealth Rides. “We put bikes out in April 2018,” she says. “The morning we launched, I saw a gentleman riding on the bike path at 7 am. I was so excited!” With 300 bikes now available at 39 hubs in Eugene, PeaceHealth Rides will celebrate its first anniversary with a birthday table at the Eugene Marathon on the weekend of April 26-28 and a display of bike-themed art at Kesey Square during the first Friday ArtWalk in May.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!