You Can Ride Two is back at Broxton Park School in Spruce Grove on March 4, 2016 (1-7 PM), adapting bikes for kids with special needs and teaching them to ride. Haven’t heard of this unique organization? Check out my previous blog article detailing the great work they do.   The Rotary Club of Spruce Grove is proud to be involved with this organization.

Exhibits and Vendors

You Can Ride 2’s Try a Bike events include exhibits by many groups supporting children with disabilities, such as the Children’s Ability Fund, Sport Central, Variety the Children’s Charity, Free 2B Me, the Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta, the Paralympic Sports Association, KidSport, and many others. In addition, select vendors such as Renu Cycle, Trivel and others will be present.

Sponsorship

Sponsorship of exhibits and vendor tables goes a long way in allowing You Can Ride 2 to cover the cost of assigning, maintaining and modifying bikes to meet the needs of children. If your business or service club can help out, please contact You Can Ride 2.

Volunteers

Volunteers (individuals, service clubs, school groups and the like) are urgently needed for a variety of tasks. Bike mechanics in particular are wanted for the March 4 event. Please visit You Can Ride 2’s “Support Us” page for a list of volunteer opportunities.

Donations

You Can Ride 2’s loan pool now has about 120 bikes, and can always use more. Anyone wishing to donate a used bike to the program is asked to bring it to the event. Each bike donated enters you into a draw for a signed Edmonton Eskimos football and helps allow another child to experience the joy of riding a bike. Donations of cash are always welcome as well!

Registration

Currently there are around 110 kids registered for the Try a Bike event on March 4! Parents of kids with special needs are invited to contact You Can Ride 2 for information about this program.

One final thing:  Name You Can Ride 2’s new mascot (supplied by the Rotary Club of Spruce Grove), and you could win a $100 MEC gift certificate!

As a proud Rotarian, I’m delighted to be able to help this worthwhile organization.  Comments or questions? Call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.

I’ve written before about some of my activities with the Rotary Club of Spruce Grove. I enjoy helping other people, and I find that this club allows me to get involved in causes I might not have otherwise been aware of.

Recently, Spruce Grove Rotarians were asked to volunteer in support of a local organization called YouCanRide2.  This organization held an event a few months ago at Broxton Park School in Spruce Grove that was both rewarding and inspiring.

YouCanRide2 adapts bicycles for kids with special needs and teaches them to ride. These kids suffer from conditions such as Down syndrome, spina bifida, cerebral palsy and autism. In some cases, these kids may never walk, but they can be taught to ride a bike. This one thing can have a major impact on these children and their families, bringing mobility to children who may have never experienced it before, and improved mental health to the most vulnerable in our community.

At the heart of YouCanRide2 are 3 pediatric physiotherapists: Janine Halayko, Melanie Harris, and Trent Magis. These three core people coordinate the large team of dedicated volunteers needed to run the “Borrow a Bike” program. The need for this program became evident when Janine was working with a child with cerebral palsy to teach him how to ride a bike. After 8 months of effort, and trial and error, she realized that no ordinary bike even with adaptations would do. The $3000 bike this child needed to be independent was far too expensive for the family, and could not be covered by any other agency. With the support of the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters Society and Trent’s help, the idea for the “Borrow a Bike” program was born.

This story is not just about the children and families who are helped. It is about determination and volunteerism. Determination happens when everyone around you tells you what you are trying to do is too difficult to accomplish. And this is also about volunteerism – on steroids! Two of YouCanRide2’s core people are working moms with 3 children each of their own. Yet, they can volunteer 20-30 hours a week supporting this cause, and inspiring and leading dozens of other volunteers to help needy children.

YouCanRide2 is unique to Alberta and probably unique to all of Canada. Some of the bikes are donated, but they still require adapting to a specific child’s needs. For some of the more severely challenged, specialized bikes can run as high as $5000. Money is also needed for storage and transport of the bikes. This year, the goal of YouCanRide2 is to adapt 100 bikes for kids in the Edmonton area.

At the Rotary Club’s annual Lobsterfest, held this year on May 30, 2015, I made a video appeal for funding for this worthwhile organization, and I am delighted to report that the astounding sum of $91,000 was raised! I am overwhelmed by the compassion and generosity of Spruce Grove and area residents, and I know that YouCanRide2 will be able to do so much good with the money.

If you would like to contribute money, bikes that could be adapted, or expertise, please contact me, or get in touch with YouCanRide2 directly through their website.  Believe me, you’ll feel good for helping out!

Can you help? Please call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.

(Photos used in this post are from You Can Ride Two’s website at http://www.youcanridetwo.ca/)

Moving is tough on kids, whether you are moving across town or across country. It usually means that kids have to leave their old friends, change schools, and, sometimes, adjust to a different climate. Fortunately, children are incredibly adaptable and with a little preparation, the transition can be smooth and painless. If you are moving to the Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and the Edmonton region, there are many community resources available to help make you and your children feel right at home.

Prepare Your Children for the Move and Familiarize Them With the New Neighbourhood

Before you move, you should make a number of trips to the area around your new neighbourhood. Visit the local parks, drive around the streets, and drop into the area community centers. If possible, enrol your child in sports or lessons in your new community before you move. That way, they will have established friendships before enrolling in a new school. With weekly events and an eye toward families, the TransAlta Tri Leisure Centre in Spruce Grove is a great place to check out if your move is taking you to the Parkland County real estate area. A vital community centre such as this is invaluable, especially if your new home is located within Parkland County acreages or Edmonton acreages. Although the land is beautiful and spacious, your neighbours are not very close and an active community centre helps you connect socially with the people in your district. This is very important for both children and adults.

Visit the School Your Children Will Be Attending

No one likes to be dropped off in a new situation, never mind a brand new school. Before you move to your new community, call ahead to the school or schools your children will be attending. Make an appointment for the whole family to visit the school, meet the principal, the new teachers, and perhaps take a tour of the school. Almost all schools encourage new students to come and have a look around. If it helps the students make a good transition, it is as good for the school as it is for you. If you are planning a summer move when the school is closed, ask for a tour and make an appointment to meet the teacher when you register your children for the semester. If you are unsure of which school your child will attend, you can consult with your realtor or check out the Alberta Education website. Here you can look up the schools in your area. For example, for the Spruce Grove Real Estate area and Stony Plain Real Estate area, you would look at schools in  Parkland School Division No. 70 or Evergreen Catholic School Division.

Get Involved in Your New Community

The best way to become involved in the community is to become a part of it. The wider and more far-reaching your social circle is, the better your children will fit in. Throw yourself a housewarming party and invite your neighbours and people from the community. Volunteer to coach a little league team, or run a reading program at the local school. Moving to a new area can be difficult for shy children, but the more involved your family is, the more opportunities you give them to make friends.

The most important thing about settling your kids into a new neighbourhood is not to worry. Children make friends fast and will likely know all the ins and outs of the community before you do. If you prepare them well and keep them involved, they will be happy and well-adjusted, whether they live in a home bought through Parkland County Real Estate, Edmonton Real Estate, or even North Pole Real Estate.

Moving is a stressful event and I am always willing to answer any home-related questions you might have! Call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.