San Rafael, CA – With financial support from a new grant, firefighters from the Marin County Fire Department, Mill Valley Fire Department and Southern Marin Fire Department are delivering more bicycles to give to family members who were burned out of their homes in the recent North Bay wildfires.
Firefighters fro Marin agencies gave away about 900 bikes to Santa Rosa families earlier this month, and the bike drive continues.The firefighters, associated with the International Association of Firefighters Local 1775, plan to pick up 210 new bikes donated from the San Jose-based nonprofit Turning Wheels for Kids at 3 p.m. Saturday, December 2, at South Hall, 435 S. Market Street, in downtown San Jose.
The firefighters will deliver the new bikes between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday, December 10, to a warehouse run by the Highway 12 Winery in eastern Sonoma. The warehouse is at 21481 8th Street, Suite 4.
Earlier in November, the same fire agencies delivered about 900 bikes to kids and adults in Santa Rosa.
“Even though the fires are out, the fire service family is not done supporting the relief efforts,” said Battalion Chief Bret McTigue of Marin County Fire.
Donated new and bikes may be dropped off at any Southern Marin, Mill Valley or Marin County Fire station. If you would rather donate money to the cause, go to the GoFundMe website that has been created for this project. More than $6,800 had been raised thus far. Novato-based Benjamin Franklin Plumbing set a company goal of $15,000 for the fundraiser and has agreed to match up to $5,000 in public donations. All funds will be used to purchase bikes or helmets.
The delivered bikes will be available for adults and children with addresses listed as destroyed on the official damage inspection report from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention, aka CALFIRE.