 |
|
|
 Vallarta Living | December 2006 
One Coincidence Deserves Another
 Rebecca Villaneda - Peninsula News
| | James Rodgers works on one of the more than 70 bikes he repaired for an orphanage in Mexico. The avid bicyclist has worked 12- to 16-hour days to finish the bikes in time for today’s delivery. |
Christmas is coming a week early for an orphanage in Mexico.
A random group of South Bay residents combined their efforts to deliver more than 70 bikes to Casa Hogar Sion in Tijuana, Mexico.
A philanthropist at heart and the unofficial leader of the bike donation, George Takis of Redondo Beach said this project came about by accident. With a nudge from fate and some caring individuals, it turned into something beyond what he anticipated.
“I think things happen when your mind is open. You never know what you are capable of,” Takis said.
He said although there was no real game plan, “things coincidentally began to fall into place.”
Takis described events of the past few weeks as “finding gold nuggets the whole way. It’s like, follow this path and there is your little land marker. Lift it up and try to find out where the next one is going and then every time you just find something.”
The idea of donating bikes started with a conversation over a cup of coffee with a friend. Takis said his friend asked if he was interested in buying a used beach cruiser for a great deal.
His buddy said he purchased the bike through a law-enforcement auction Web site. Takis said he began buying packages of bikes that had been seized and since the money went back to law enforcement, he was all for it.
After accumulating about 40 bikes, Takis began to wonder what he was going do with them. He knew he was going to give them away, but he needed the right outlet.
Takis began calling organizations, mainly orphanages in Mexico, but some didn’t have the room or the right facility for bikes.
A friend recommended Casa Hogar Sion. The orphanage was started by a family out of its home and has grown to a facility that cares for and schools more than 100 children. The son of the orphanage’s founder was in contact with Takis via e-mail. He told Takis the roads had recently been paved and that they were more than excited to accept his offer.
A jack of all trades
Bikes were missing tires, tubes and seats, and Takis knew he had to get the bikes in better condition for the kids. All he could think of was his friend James Rodgers, who he hadn’t seen in more than six months.
Rodgers had done some work on Takis’ home some time back, and Takis knew he was right for this job.
The only problem was Rodgers, a self-proclaimed mover, lives in his car and could be hard to find.
“My car, yea, that’s my Winnebago,” Rodgers said, pointing to his 1993 Oldsmobile.
A few weeks ago while thinking about all the bikes hanging in his garage, Takis looked outside his kitchen window and saw Rodgers parked in front of his house.
“He literally just showed up,” Takis said.
Rodgers and Takis met at a coffee house about three years ago.
The 52-year-old Rodgers has a background in painting, roofing, automotive repair, trade-school instruction and fund raising, just to name a few.
Rodgers said his military parents moved him around a lot, and he hasn’t stopped. He’s drawn to the beach, and he’s been in this area since about 1993.
Rodgers was happy to oblige and began working the day after his birthday, putting in 12 to 16 hours a day so the bikes would be ready for delivery today.
When asked how he knew so much about bikes, Rodgers simply replied, “I ride. At one point I was riding 100 miles a day in San Dimas, so I had to know how to fix it if it broke on those trips.”
Rodgers said a higher power helped this project get off and running. He pulled out his Bible that he purchased with money he raised from cutting lawns when he was 12 years old. His mom used to make him recite Bible versus every night before bed.
Another gold nugget
Takis, who is also a Realtor for Keller Williams in Palos Verdes, owns and rents out the Peck mansion in San Pedro, where Rodgers has been working and living since Dec. 3.
Built in 1887, the house was moved to its present location in 1915, and the entire first floor is now dedicated to Rodgers and the bikes.
As things began to come together, Takis realized he needed parts, and it just so happened “a friend of a friend” owned the Bike Palace, conveniently located around the corner from the Peck mansion.
Owner Tony Jabuka said he was happy to help and donated 10 of his own bikes for the children. He also helped purchase parts.
“It’ll be a great Christmas present for them, and I’d like to go down there to see the face of the kids,” Jabuka said.
Takis said everybody gave what they could, and those who couldn’t donate money are donating baked goods or clothing that they will bring today, along with more than 70 bikes.
“My friend and I bought the bikes, but who cares? Who really put in the hours? Who really stayed up late and got their fingers dirty … James here did. And Tony was right there alongside him, asking him what he needed,” Takis said.
“Every single one I got my hands on, and when I got them, they were crooked, and now they’re straight,” Rodgers said.
Al D’Amico, owner of Keller Williams PV, said when Takis came up with the concept, his employees got on board immediately. D’Amico anticipates it’s going to get bigger in the coming years.
Jennifer Shimizu, a Keller Williams employee who helped with the bike drive, said she was impressed by Takis’ hard work and didn’t realize how big the effort was until she visited the mansion.
“He throws out ideas and is just able to put them together. The way he thought of this was a coincidence, and things started to fall in place,” Shimizu said.
“We just happened to be lucky enough to get the assignment and pull it off,” Takis said.
Takis and friends and family will make the trip to Mexico today in a caravan of three trucks. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us