McCook Central students helping kids through Pedal Power program

[Phil in Paris]

Pierre, S.D. – Students at McCook Central High School will deliver more than 150 bicycles at the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls Saturday, October 2nd beginning at approximately 10:45 a.m. The drop-off will occur on the west side of the Penitentiary at the Pheasantland Industries office off of North Drive.

Unclaimed and unwanted bicycles are taken to the Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield and refurbished by inmates there as part of an inmate work program called "Pedal Power from the Pen". Each year inmates fix up and repaint hundreds of bicycles to be put back into service by underprivileged kids across the state of South Dakota.

Many of the refurbished bikes are picked up by law enforcement agencies at the annual South Dakota Highway Patrol Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner and Charity Fundraiser in Sioux Falls in November. Law enforcement officers from across the state then distribute the bicycles to kids who cannot afford their own or are in need of a bicycle.

Bikes are also distributed to churches and various state and non-profit agencies to be distributed to kids.

http://www.state.sd.us/corrections/M...PedalPower.htm