Inmates at Marsh Creek Detention Facility help make children’s holiday brighter

More than 175 inmates from Marsh Creek Detention Facility have worked to make more than 1,500 handcrafted toys and over 125 refurbished bicycles for more than 35 Contra Costa County children-serving agencies this holiday season. On Thursday Nov. 15, 2012, folks toured the workshop filling their wish lists in and meeting some of the inmates. The workshop is co-sponsored by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the Contra Costa County Office of Education who teach the inmates the crafts.

Student and inmate Jesse Mancusi of Concord helps Ruth Concannon of STAND, center, and Laurrell Ingham from St. Timothy Episcopal Church as they ask how one would get money out of the heart shaped wooden bank at Marsh Creek Detention Facility in Clayton, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012. The bottom stand of the bank comes off for one to cash in their savings. (Susan Tripp Pollard/Staff)

Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston asks inmate and student Joshua Nold of Oakley about the doll house project he worked on at Marsh Creek Detention Facility in Clayton, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012. (Susan Tripp Pollard/Staff)