The excitement and joy on a kid’s face when they get a new bicycle is really unmatched. It’s a moment most children never forget.
For seven children recently, you could take that excitement and joy and double it. That’s because they just got new bikes that help them live a more normal life and participate in activities with their families and other children when they otherwise couldn’t.
At Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 earlier this month, those seven children received what’s known as an adaptive bicycle or stroller. These devices aid children with disabilities participate in family activities and play with friends, to live a fuller life.
The adaptive bikes and strollers were made possible through the Variety My Bike Project.
For Amaia Calderon Ramirez, of Shenandoah, the adaptive stroller she got this month is a vehicle for her to participate more in life with her family. It’s a sense of freedom. The adaptive stroller changes family life for the better, too.
Ramirez’ mother, Wildania, told The Canary (through a translator), “In a way, it’s a sense of freedom because she’s able to go out and about now with her child, whereas before, she was very limited to not being able to go different places.
“Now, she can spend quality time with her daughter as well as live a normal life, per se.”
Melissa Egan Kerr’s son, Max, may have been the happiest of all the children who received an adaptive device a couple weeks ago. Once he got on his adaptive bike, you couldn’t get the smile off his face. He gleefully led a parade of the seven children around the gymnasium of the Mar Lin school.
Kerr echoed the sentiments of Ramirez. She said Max’s adaptive bike allows their entire family to be together more often.
“We try to do as much as we can out in our community but some things just aren’t possible without specialized equipment,” Kerr said. “This means, as a family, we’ll be out on bike rides. I picture us walking and biking to the library together. This means that Max can truly be a part of it. He’s someone that just needs that extra boost to be included.”
Schuylkill IU29 helped families with the application process to get their adaptive bikes and strollers, according to Shannon Brennan, IU29’s Assistant Executive Director. She said this is the fourth year that IU29 has worked with Variety to get local children these adaptive devices.
“Variety does a great job raising money to make sure everyone gets a bike,” Brennan said. “It’s life changing.”
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