paul brian 1The Bike Exchange is increasingly attracting families to our program. Oftentimes, there are mothers and fathers bringing their children in to learn about bikes and how to fix them. Some of these kids are already pretty good mechanics and really get into fixing up the bikes. Such was the case this Wednesday when Paul L. and his son Brian volunteered in the shop.

Paul is a local boy, having grown up in San Francisco before attending St. Ignatius high school and SF State. He is retired now after a career in sales, during which he worked for Xerox and later for Tiffany and Co. These days he volunteers with St. Vincent De Paul’s and is about to celebrate his 50th anniversary.

His son Brian is a natural mechanic and a natural visual learner. For many years he worked at Talbots, a local toy and bike store near his home. He loves RC cars and boats and has a large collection that he enjoys tinkering with. According to Paul, Brian watches YouTube videos for his inspiration and guidance. He also loves going to hot rod shows with his dad. Both of them love working in the shop and are a handy addition to our ranks of volunteers.

Welcome to the family, guys!

Learn more about the superstars who keep SVBE rolling through our previous featured volunteer spotlights!