The bicycle clubs in The Villages are preparing to support the annual bike collection event put on by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.

Members of Villages bicycling clubs will be fixing up bikes during the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office’s annual collection event on Friday, Dec. 7.

For almost two decades, the cycling community has helped fix up gently used bicycles – donated by Villagers – for children at Christmas time. This year, clubs will be collecting and repairing bikes from 8 a.m. until noon on Friday, Dec. 7 at the Lake Miona Recreation Center.

The north end of the recreation center’s parking lot will be transformed into an outdoor bicycle drop-off and repair facility. The bikes will be unloaded, washed, tires inflated and test ridden. Minor repairs will be made if need be and then the bikes will be loaded onto trailers to be distributed in time for Christmas.

Villages bike club members will make repairs to donated bicycles that will then be distributed to area children in time for Christmas by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.

Those with gently used bicycles to donate are being asked to participate. Bikes also can be delivered anytime to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Annex at County Road 466 and Morse Boulevard.

A limited number of bikes also can be picked up on Dec. 7. Call (352) 259-2611 or email Dave Lawrence at [email protected] with any questions.

Sumter County Sheriff’s Lt. Robert Siemer shows some of the bikes that have been donated in past years.