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Ramona elves make Holiday Bikes for Kids reality

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Thanks to Santa’s elves in Ramona, 24 youngsters will have new or like-new bicycles this Christmas.

San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, in partnership with the Ramona Fire Department, made Holiday Bikes for Kids happen. Spearheaded by sheriff’s Deputy Pam Murphy and Crime Prevention Specialist Kelly Marline at the sheriff’s Ramona Substation and Cal Fire Battalion Chief Greg Griswold and Audina Morytko with the Ramona Fire Department, what was an idea a month ago is reality.

Many of the bicycles came from the sheriff’s Property and Evidence Unit. From there, they went to the three fire stations in Ramona, where elves dressed as firefighters and paramedics worked on them. Bikes that could not be fixed were restored or replaced with monies out of the elves’ pockets.

As the bicycles were ready, they were stored at Ramona Self Storage at 118 12th St., formerly Olympic Public Storage Ltd., for free.

Sean Speed and James Humphreys at Holy Rollers Bikes and Boards in Alpine gave countless hours of their time to restore and ensure that all the bikes are safe, said Marline.

“They took the bikes that we thought could not be repaired,” he said. “They restored them better than new.”

Holy Rollers’ service was free and parts were at cost. Speed and Humphreys closed their shop on a recent Saturday to come to Ramona to work on some of the bikes.

“And if that wasn’t enough, they donated two more bikes,” said Marline.

“We hope we can continue to do it,” said Speed. “It’s been very fulfilling.”

Also donating bicycles were Soroptimist International of Ramona and the Ramona Rotary Club. The Soroptimists donated three new bikes and the Rotary Club donated two new bikes. The bike donations include helmets and locks for the five bikes. Murphy donated locks for the rest of the bikes.

San Diego Country Estates Association donated $100 to purchase some helmets and Ramona Parks and Recreation Association gave $50 for some of the parts.

“So many people have helped,” Murphy and Marline said at Ramona Self Storage last week.

All of the children have been invited to the 16th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Saturday to receive their bikes right after the tree is lit. Bicycles will be delivered to children unable to attend.

Eighteen of the bikes will go to Ramona children, two to Julian children, three to one family in Shelter Valley and one to a youngster in Borrego.

“All of them are deserving,” said Murphy.

The economy is affecting many people, said Marline. Some families can no longer afford utilities for their homes, he said, “so we had to go to the house” to tell them about the bicycles.

Recommendations for children who will receive a bike came from schools, libraries, teachers and principals, said Murphy.

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