SHOPKEEPER HELPS HOMELESS BIKE STORE OWNER OFFERS TURKEY DAY FEAST TO THE NEEDY.

Byline: CONNIE LLANOS  Staff Writer

NEWHALL -- In an area of downtown Newhall where paseos and pretty paved paths fail to stretch sits a bicycle shop with a mission.

With the reggae music playing in the background, Newhall Bicycle Club owner Roger Hasper greets every customer as he would a riding buddy.

``I don't like to call them customers. They are more like friends to me,'' Hasper said.

The dread-locked Hasper is a devout Christian, intent on helping the downtrodden of his community. His strong faith forces him to look beyond the gears and tires he sells. His neighbors are not a part of the affluent Santa Clarita.

Hasper repairs bikes at a reduced rate for some of his customers, and he takes used bikes donated by customers and hands them out to Newhall residents he sees making their daily commutes on foot down San Fernando Road.

This year, Hasper wants to join customers with the community by organizing a Thanksgiving feast for his surrounding lower-income neighborhood -- the only feast offered that day for the homeless in Santa Clarita.

``This is where I live and where I work. Now that I can, I want to give back to the community,'' Hasper said.

The son of a minister, Hasper is quick to recite scripture, which he says specifically calls for help to the needy.

``In the Bible, Matthew 25:31 gives direct instruction to feed the needy.''

Receiving food donations from nearby restaurants such as Eggplantation and The Town Grind plus offers of help from his customers, Hasper said he feels like it is the right thing to do.

``I come from the inner city of Chicago where the homeless used to freeze at night,'' he said. ``Here the weather is beautiful, but some people won't have a Thanksgiving dinner if we don't do this, and in this affluent community that is a real shame.''

For most of Hasper's customers, his giving nature is no surprise. It's his docile nature that attracts many of them to his business.

``The bike shop gave me something to look forward to,'' a silver-haired Doug Froeberg said as he strolled into the shop in his funcycle just six months after suffering a stroke.

Froeberg is a regular at the shop and a favorite of Hasper, who prays for the former finance controller during the bi-weekly Bible study sessions he holds in the Newhall shop.

``They all pray for me,'' Froeberg said. ``This place feels like family, it is spiritual.''

Hasper hung an orange sheet, on which customers have signed up for various duties for the Thanksgiving meal. Fliers have been passed out at local markets and commercial laundries, and hand-delivered to those who Hasper knows might now know there's a place to feast this holiday.

``I just hope people come,'' Hasper said.

``We have already been warned that we might only see a few people, but that's OK. We'll just do it again next year.''

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(color) Newhall Bicycle Club owner Roger Hasper helps the downtrodden of his community, and this Thanksgiving, he's organizing the only feast for the homeless in Santa Clarita.

David Crane/Staff Photographer