BUNNELL, Fla. – Joe Golan, additionally called The Bike Man of Flagler County, is that this week’s Getting Results Award winner.
Golan sets up shop each Wednesday at the First United Methodist Church of Bunnell, where he spends hours repairing motorcycles for the homeless and much less fortunate.
Tool bins, tires, tubes and mounds of spare elements line the included walkway in which he works.
His greasy hands warfare to move a rusty chain and gears.
“The bikes are once in a while so rusted it is a challenge to get the elements aside,” he stated. “They get overlooked within the rain plenty.”
Golan partners with the Sheltering Tree, a nonprofit that provides meals and bloodless climate shelter for the location’s needy.
“We’re no longer right here to restore motorcycles to their unique situation,” Golan said. “We’re here to get them useful and secure.”
Golan will repair 8 to 10 motorcycles in a standard day.
“If it was made by guy, it may be fixed via man,” he joked. “I’ve used that announcing my complete lifestyles.”
The retired electrical employee, who moved right down to Central Florida from New York, said he is constantly been proficient with mechanical competencies.
Seven years in the past, he heard that the Flagler charity, Christmas Come True, was brief 40 motorcycles for the vacations. Golan bought a few children bikes and dropped them off.
“They requested if I should assist bring together them,” she stated. “I’ve been assisting the charity ever since.”
Golan added a bike to the Sheltering Tree years ago and observed the need their clients had getting worn motorcycles repaired.
“They asked me if I may want to stick round and fix a few,” he said.
That was 1,000 motorcycles ago.
“There’s not an entire lot of public transportation right here in Flagler County so folks that can not manage to pay for a vehicle, they depend upon bicycles to get around.”
Vicki Latellier, the vice chair of operations for the Sheltering Tree, stated her customers sit up for the carrier Golan gives.
“He’s a blessing to us,” she stated. “He would not just repair the motorcycles. He makes connections with humans. They realize they have got a place that they could come for that fellowship, that comradeship.”
Why does Golan do it?
“I’m a man with a bike stand and I actually have a laugh doing it,” he said. “It’s only a need I noticed that had to be fulfilled.”
