The Gift of ‘My Bike’ at IBEW

On December 20, 2012, Variety presented more than 81 customized adaptive bikes to children with disabilities  during “The Gift of ‘My Bike’ at IBEW” event, and it was truly a magical day.

Isiah is pictured with his mom riding into the presentation.

Isiah, age 10 from New Castle, received his adaptive bike at the presentation.  His mom, Jolene, spoke through tears, saying,

“This is not just a bike for Isiah.  It’s independence – a chance to be a 10-year-old boy.  We’d see his friends, and I’d just keep thinking, please don’t go for the bikes, because Isiah couldn’t ride a bike.  

And Isiah would say that it was fine and that he didn’t care, but I knew he cared.  His whole face would change when his friends went bike riding and he couldn’t and had to be pulled from behind on a wagon.  

But now, when the kids say “I wanna ride bikes,” Isiah can say, ‘I wanna ride bikes too!’”

Highlights from the Presentation:

  • 81 adaptive bikes were distributed to children from a ten-county region in Western Pa.
  • 220 adaptive bikes (i.e. $400,000) were sponsored by Christmas of 2012, which was incredible since Variety’s “My Bike” Program kicked off only a few weeks earlier on Nov. 5, 2012.
Kelly Frey is pictured with one of the kids during the event.

Kelly Frey, WTAE Channel 4 News Anchor, also spoke at the presentation.

As a mother, I see you all on your bikes, and I just leap for joy… We’ve all spent a lot of time in the hospital together and in the institutes and therapy, but this is what it’s all about.

As a parent, there is no greater feeling than watching your child get on a bike and ride.  I want to hear your hoopering and hollering all around your neighborhoods on these bikes.”