The Community Service Committee of the Allentown Rotary Club recently awarded its 2014 Community Service Grant of $10,000 to Community Bike Works of Allentown.

Community Bike Works was selected because of its service to the community's youth, and educational programs that teach life lessons through bicycle mechanics.

Community Bike Works' flagship Earn-A-Bike program, which started in 1995, pairs students with adult mentors for a 12-week course in bicycle mechanics and safety.

In the course of working on their bikes, students learn skills such as mechanics, writing and teamwork.

Students enjoy the satisfaction of turning a broken bike into a functional one, and are awarded with their refurbished bike and new helmet at the conclusion of the course.

"Community Bike Works is thrilled to be a recipient of a generous grant from the Rotary Club of Allentown, and even more excited to partner with the Allentown Rotary to help serve our students in Earn-a-Bike and across our range of programs," said Kim Schaffer, executive director of Community Bike Works, Allentown. "The young people of Community Bike Works will benefit from the opportunity to connect with our community leaders and to learn from Rotary's principles of service, fellowship, diversity, integrity, and leadership."

"The Allentown Rotary Club has been looking to partner with an organization like Community Bike Works: a dedicated group that is making a difference in the lives of the youth throughout Allentown," said Ann McManus, Allentown Rotary Club Community Service chairwoman.

The Allentown Rotary Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation providing worldwide humanitarian grants to needy people and worthy projects, and educational awards for international exchanges of scholars and teachers and business and professional people.

Its objective is the achievement of world understanding and peace through international charitable and educational programs.

The foundation, established in 1969 to contribute to the betterment of the community, distributes earnings annually to qualified local charitable and social welfare organizations. More information about the Allentown Rotary Club can be found at allentownrotary.org.