Volunteers with the Bike Club and McLain alumni came together to raise money for a talented member.
Mike Wozniak, the program manager of Tulsa Bike Club and Osborne Celestain, Major Taylor Cycling Club Tulsa Director, were featured in a KTUL News story about Malachi Jackson, a junior at McLain High School who is an ultra competitive cyclist in cyclocross, mountain biking and multiple other events. He has also won several times at Arkansas National Interscholastic Cycling Association league races, all on a borrowed bike. Volunteers with the bike club and McLain alumni came together to raise $5,000, to give Jackson his own set of wheels.
When the community can come together, wonderful things can happen.
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You can read the entire story below. Our thanks to KTUL for covering this important story.
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — The Tulsa Bike Club raised $5,000 to buy a new bike for a talented member of the club, who has never had a bike of his own.
Malachi Jackson, a junior at McLain High School is quick on a bike.
"It was just something that was fun to me and it wasn't something I knew was a sport really," said Jackson. "And once I started racing, it was just so much fun to me so I was like I want to do this."
Jackson first began riding in 6th grade through the Tulsa Bike Club, and started to compete shortly after.
Though he didn't have a bike of his own, he borrowed bikes to compete in cyclocross, mountain biking and multiple other events. He has also won several times at Arkansas National Interscholastic Cycling Association league races, all on a borrowed bike.
"He is multiple time state champion, Oklahoma state champion in multiple disciplines of cycling," said Mike Wozniak, the program manager of Tulsa Bike Club.
Volunteers with the bike club and McLain alumni came together to raise $5,000, to give Jackson his own set of wheels.
"I was shocked because I didn't know anything about it, I was shocked because I didn't ask for it or anything they just did it because they wanted to do it so, I was happy," said Jackson.
Jackson says his goal is to win his first race on the new bike.
"There's not a better kid, I promise, to get behind and show your support to. He's a wonderful representative of Tulsa, and a wonderful representative of our cycling community," said Wozniak.