Wheels to Succeed Adapted Bike Program
to Award 100th Bike on Friday, December 5, 2014
10:00 am
Wheels to Succeed, a program of the McMains
Children's Developmental Center that raises funds to purchase specially adapted
bikes, trikes and handcycles for children with disabilities, will award its 100th
bike at 10:00 am on Friday at the Center at 1805 College Drive. Since the
program's inception in 2007, it has awarded 99 bikes to children in the greater
Baton Rouge area. The 100th bike will be awarded to Matthew Doherty and his
family.
Founded by local physical therapist, cyclist and
former McMains Center employee Ashley Leach, Wheels to Succeed's mission is to
give every child the opportunity to experience the joy of cycling, including children
with disabilities. Adapted bikes purchased through the program range in cost
from $600 to $6,000, depending on the child's needs. This cost is covered by
Wheels to Succeed funds, leaving only the shipping costs to be paid by the
child's family. A child takes his or her bike home and rides it until growing
out of it; at that point, the child can donate the bike back to the McMains
Center so that another child can use the bike. Subject to the availability of
funds, the child can then be awarded a new, appropriately sized bike through
the program.
Two bike events are hosted annually through the Wheels to Succeed program: a No Such Thing As Impossible® Bike Ride for adults and fun ride for children in the spring, and a Kids Bike Event in the fall. The No Such Thing As Impossible® Bike Ride was founded by the late Jairo Alvarez, a local businessman, philanthropist and cyclist who felt that every child should have the opportunity to ride a bike. The Bike Ride, a fundraiser with proceeds benefiting the Wheels to Succeed program, is held in St. Francisville and offers a 10-, 40- or 75-mile ride to adult cyclists with a 1-mile fun ride for children. The Kids Bike Event is a day of games, fun and friendly competition in bike races scheduled by age and ability. At both events, children with physical disabilities ages 3 to 21 can be evaluated for an adapted bike. Participation in at least two such events is required to get on the waiting list for a bike.
