The Villages bicycle club members and local cyclists set up shop at Lake Miona Recreation Center on Friday to assemble and refurbish nearly 500 bicycles, which had been donated for the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Christmas program.
Several hundred new and used bicycles were assembled and cleaned by more than 30 volunteers. Some Villagers were picking up used bikes from the surrounding area in an event that stated at 7 a.m. and went into the afternoon. As some members transported bicycles from Villagers’ homes, others washed the bicycles, put air in tires, tested, adjusted, fixed and loaded new and reconditioned bikes onto trailers. In addition, this year the sheriff’s office has received substantial funding for the bicycle collection from Villages residents.
At least seven bicycle mechanics from the bicycle clubs were busy assembling more than 200 brand-new bicycles for children which had been donated for the annual drive, according to Sumter Landing Bicycle Club President William Parker. Parker said that the club members cleaned used bicycles and repaired used bicycle which had been donated beginning early in the morning and as Villagers brought in bicycles during the event.
Paul Shirey, a Sumter Landing bike club member, said that he along with about a dozen other bike members had started assembling hundreds of new bikes at 7 a.m. He said that they were “so efficient this year that they had assembled and refurbished most of the bikes by 10 a.m.” This was the fifth year he has helped with the program.
Captain Robert Siemer, who has been district commander in The Villages for several years, was on the scene along with Sheriff Pat Breeden as they coordinated the distribution of bikes to several locations throughout the Sumter County. Both of them expressed admiration for the Villagers who donated the bicycles as well as gratitude for the club members’ work.