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History: Last year, with Business Sponsorship dollars and a District Grant, our Rotary Club, teamed up to purchase adaptive bikes for handicap children in our community. There were thirty-eight applicants. The applicants were identified by the school occupational therapists in the district. At first, we thought the club with the addition of the grant funds could only fund 20 bikes, so there would need to be a lottery. However, our club stepped up and matched the funds so that all 38 students could get bikes.
The project was so successful, the Club wants to continue to support assembling and purchasing adaptive again this year. We anticipate that the need will be much less as the backlog for needed bikes occurred last year. We anticipate needed to purchase 5 adaptive tricycles this year.
Adaptive Tricycle Bikes & Health Benefits
An adaptive tricycle bike is designed for children with physical disabilities that will not allow them to ride a traditional bike. The bike has several great features to ensure the safety of the rider. The adaptive bicycle features a full seat where the ride can be fully secured and strapped in, self-leveling pedals with straps, and rear handle for the caregiver to assist with steering and pushing. Transfers on and off the bike are easier because the adaptive bike has a low step, flip-away handlebar.
The health benefits include lower extremity strengthening, reciprocal leg motion patterning, balancing skills, using visual, spatial perception for steering, and increased social interaction.
Each adaptive bike costs approximately $1,500-$1,600 depending on the child's needs.
Timeline for Project
Once ordered, it takes approximately 20-30 days to receive the bikes. The bikes do not come assembled and are shipped for free. We anticipate ordering the bikes in October 2023 and assembling them with club member help in early December 2023. The adaptive bikes will be given to the children just in time for the Holidays.
Club Member Involvement
The bikes do not come assembled; therefore, we will need club members to assist with assembling the bikes. The local fire department has volunteered to help the club members with the assembly to ensure that the assembly is done correctly. We will also need club members to assist with giving the bikes out. We will give the bikes out in a small group setting, so that the caregivers can be trained out to transfer the child, properly strap them in, and how to steer and use the bike. We will need four different sessions with club member involvement to get the bikes delivered and the caregivers trained. The local fire department will allow us to us their training facility as it has a large parking area where it will be safe to train and have the kids test out their new bikes.
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