The Findlay Police Department’s “Bikes, Books and Badges” program brings abandoned bikes back to life and distributes them to area youth and adults in need.

Crime prevention officer Brian White says when they needed help with the program they reached out to Joe Wahrer of Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution in Lima.

“And he offered to have inmates work on the bicycles for us and get them up to speed, so he actually comes up to Findlay and picks them up and takes them down there and then returns them when they’re fixed.”

Officer White says Joe is retiring soon and the police department wanted to say thanks for all he’s done for them and the “Bikes, Books and Badges” program.

“Hopefully his predecessor will continue the tradition,” White said.

The police department recently donated another one of those bikes to a student in need.

Read more about that here.