The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office is seeking bike donations for its annual Christmas Bicycle Giveaway — the department's 34th year doing the event.
The department has been giving away bicycles and helmets to underprivileged youth during the holiday season since 1989.
As part of the event, officials with the department work with incarcerated persons of the Honor Farm medium-security facility to refurbish old bicycles which are then given away.
"Being able to give [the kids] a bike put a smile on their face prior to Christmas and see the excitement in their faces and even their parents' faces," San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department Correctional Sergeant Jeremy Rau said of the event. "... It makes the sheriff's department happy and makes all of us happy; it makes the incarcerated people who are working on the bike smile."
Last year, the sheriff's office gave away 240 bikes. This year, Sgt. Rau expects the department to match that number.
This year's giveaway is on December 12 and potential recipients can apply on the sheriff's department website under the "Christmas Bike Application" pull-down menu.
You can learn more about the program on the department's webpage detailing it.
Individuals and businesses who wish to donate children’s bicycles or new helmets in their original packaging can bring them to any of the sheriff’s office patrol stations or to the Sheriff’s Honor Farm located on Highway 1.
If you would like to make a monetary contribution for the purchase of bikes, parts or helmets, please send a check to:
Sheriff’s Advisory Foundation
Attn: Bicycle Fund P.O. Box 3752
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403
