Sheriff’s Dept. to Give Bikes to Needy Kids

Dozens of needy children will receive bicycles for Christmas this year thanks to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.

Rather than selling recovered lost or stolen bicycles, the department for the first time has decided to give away the unclaimed bikes, said Sheriff’s Capt. Mark Ball. The department will ask various community groups to help choose families to receive the gifts, he said.

“It will certainly allow those not as fortunate to have a happier holiday,” Ball said.

The Sheriff’s Department expects to give away about 50 high-quality bikes to children of poor families, Ball said. It also plans to give another 50 to 75 bikes that have been repaired by inmates at the Ojai Honor Farm to Bike Ojai, a nonprofit group spearheading a new community bike program.

The program provides bikes free of charge to Ojai Valley residents and visitors on a temporary basis as a way to reduce the number of vehicles on the road, Ball said.