The following story is an excerpt from "The Great Bike Giveaway" story in the Mountain Democrat:"The Rotary Club of Cameron Park once again brought joy to almost 200 children this holiday season when members distributed bikes and helmets to various nonprofits in Northern California. Forty bikes went to children aged 3-17 in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.
This year the great bike giveaway began Dec. 19 at Folsom State Prison, where organizers and Rotarians gathered to load the newly refurbished bikes to go to four organizations — Folsom Moose Lodge, Alameda County Probation Department, Union Gospel Mission and Highland Charter.
Through the work of Cameron Park Rotarians, spearheaded by Joe Ryan, bikes and bike parts are collected throughout the year then sent to Folsom Prison to be refurbished by those incarcerated, a program that began in 1986. This year Folsom Prison inmate Frank Jachwak was responsible for refurbishing all 180 bikes.
“It’s been a lot of work,” Jachwak said. “I enjoy doing this and it’s good to give back to the community any way I can."
This year the great bike giveaway began Dec. 19 at Folsom State Prison, where organizers and Rotarians gathered to load the newly refurbished bikes to go to four organizations — Folsom Moose Lodge, Alameda County Probation Department, Union Gospel Mission and Highland Charter.
Through the work of Cameron Park Rotarians, spearheaded by Joe Ryan, bikes and bike parts are collected throughout the year then sent to Folsom Prison to be refurbished by those incarcerated, a program that began in 1986. This year Folsom Prison inmate Frank Jachwak was responsible for refurbishing all 180 bikes.
“It’s been a lot of work,” Jachwak said. “I enjoy doing this and it’s good to give back to the community any way I can."
Jeremy, 7, and Marcos, 8, are excited to receive their new wheels at the Folsom Moose Lodge, as Joe Ryan supervises the give-away.