Every kid deserves to experience their first taste of freedom: riding a bike. That’s why Virginia nonprofit REACHcycles is creating bicycles specially designed for children with disabilities.
REACHcycle, which stands for Richmond Empowering Abilities for Children with Cycles, designs the bikes for maximum mobility, the nonprofit’s president, James Howard, told WRIC. The bikes — called AmTrykes — are then assembled by local volunteers in Richmond.
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Howard – a veteran – said that when he returned from his service overseas he received a bike, which helped him recover from PTSD. He compared that feeling to how the kids feel when they’re riding their AmTrykes.
“It’s just absolutely amazing,” Howard said. “I mean, to just have that freedom and mobility back in your life,” Howard said. “To be told that you may never have a bike because of your disability –I know when I received one when I was a veteran, it just helped me make that step forward in my recovery process … It’s just an absolutely amazing benefit.”
Over the weekend, REACHcycles donated 14 specially adapted bikes to disabled children in Virginia. Proud parents took to social media to show off their children’s newfound mobility.
REACHcycles features a “wish list” to fund AmTrykes for children who may not be able to afford their own, Howard said.
(H/T: WRIC)
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