Back in 1999, Jack Hairston was not in the best of health. Walking was difficult and required not only significant effort but also special equipment. Until the day he spotted a young man riding on his street with a bike that had no working brakes, life was pretty dreary. Noticing that the only way the youngster could stop his bike was to put out his foot and hit the curb, Jack stopped the rider, retrieved some basic tools from his house and repaired the brakes with minimal effort. From that simple act of generosity developed a friendship, and from that came the program now known as Jack the Bikeman.
As word got out, more kids stopped by to get their bikes fixed and then friends and neighbors started dropping off used bikes for Jack to repair and give away. And, something else strange happened – Jack’s health began to improve as he became involved in the lives of his neighbors, largely poor, migrant families with few resources. In addition to fixing bikes, Jack became a confidante and mentor to many kids and in so doing prevented many from joining the "gang life" so common in the neighborhood.
When we visited Jack a few months ago we were quickly taken with his dedication and love for this project. What truly astounded us was the pile of bikes sitting in a nearby warehouse…all waiting to be repaired by volunteers so that they can be given away during the holiday season to many local kids who would otherwise not enjoy that special childhood pleasure.
While repairing bikes is an admirable activity, Jack the Bikeman is about so much more. Dedicated to the education, guidance and training of at-risk children of migrant workers and to their parents as well, Jack’s activities have grown. Today he is more like a one-man social service agency as he provides a free meal to local unemployed workers, disseminates critical health information and conducts HIV testing…and more.
The Good People Fund is happy to help Jack with this work and has just sent funds to purchase food for his free meals and for the purchase of the bike parts he needs to repair that mountain of bikes. If you happen to live in the West Palm Beach (FL) area stop by and offer your help. The bike workshop will be open regularly now that the holiday season is approaching and so many kids are waiting for that special bike.
