User Rating: / 1
PoorBest 

When Lisa Kloc of AMBUCS came to the July EBC meeting requesting assistance for her organization, EBC and one of it’s members responded in a big way. AMBUCS is an organization that provides bicycles and tricycles for individuals and children with disabilities. EBC  voted to purchase a bike for a client of AMBUCS.

However, 10 year old EBC member, Ashley Whittaker, was so inspired by the presentation by Lisa Kloc at the meeting that she helped organize a fundraiser at Dexter Elementary School for AMBUCS. Ashley is a 5th grader at Dexter. The Dexter fundraiser raised nearly $200 for AMBUCS.  Way to go Ashley and all the faculty and kids at Dexter!!

User Rating: / 4
PoorBest 

What a great “Great Pumpkin.” For the 29th time, the EBC has put on a great show. 879 riders showed up and 65 volunteers delivered! Even though it was about 38ºF at 7:00 a.m., when the 1st early bird riders arrived, the event was the largest in the past three or four years. A gigantic THANK YOU to Dan and his committee for such a successful event.

Beginning on the first day of the month, EBC members assisted in the distribution of over 70 bicycles presented on that day (125 bikes in all) to the deserving youths participating in the EVSC, Ivy Tech, and the Evansville Parks and Recreation summer school camp. The program began with a  presentation on bike safety to all in attendance. Next was the presentation of bicycles to the winners followed by helmets and fitting thanks to Gerling Law office. The finale was that all the winners were given the opportunity to practice their newly acquired safety knowledge and test their cycling skills at the bike rodeo. For those new to cycling, they were introduced to the basics of cycling including how to start and how to stop.

Will Humphries and Kody Schnell were our “adopted” students for the “Lose the Training Wheels” program. Both of these riders were riding on two wheels by the final day of the camp. A special “thank you” to Linda Clemmer and Dan Armstrong who were involved for all five days and participated during the times that our two lads were in training.

Finally, on Saturday, July 10, the bike rodeo for Troop 336 at Stringtown School was conducted with approximately 20 or so scouts and almost that many volunteers. Again, thank you so much for those who volunteered to make this event a success.

The club has become an active participant in the “Walk and Roll” week of activities that were held during the week of May 17 thru the 23rd. Over 60 events took place and were coordinated by the Evansville-Area Trails Coalition. This organization is dedicated to increasing a healthy lifestyle by promoting new trails and routes for walkers and cyclists.

The week of “Walk and Roll” was considered a success and is just the beginning of a new attitude by many Evansville area residents about walking and riding bikes. EBC was well represented as many of our club participated in the “Ride of Silence” and the “Wurst  Ride.” At the bike rodeo, the club, through the gracious donation of helmets from GERLING Law, fitted fifty children. We had all ages and skill levels go through the rodeo course. Plans are already being made for next year’s Walk and Roll.

Volunteering not only makes you feel like you have done something to help out, it can have further rewards. At the Run of Luck 7K event that was held on the 11th of March, in which thirteen of us decided to help out, there was a drawing for “volunteer of the year” with the reward being a Wii console …and guess who won. We also received a nice “thank you” from the Run of Luck organizing staff thanking us for our participation.

July 24: St. Mary's night at the Otter's ball game was a success! Here is a thank you note form St. Mary's:

Darlene, Please extend my appreciation to the volunteers that helped fit helmets at the Kohl's & St. Mary's Night with the Otter's. Their help was much needed that  evening as they were very busy. We ended up giving away 900 helmets that night. Just to give you an idea. Once again, thank you & The Bike Club so much for your help.

Sincerely, Rachel Chancellor

I'm sorry that I missed this event.  According to what I heard, we had a great turn-out of volunteers and the helmet fitting did not end until the 3rd inning. I hope everyone had fun at the game.

Thanks to Volunteers: Janet Robertson, Linda Clemmer, Dave & Vicky Ashworth, Dan Krueger, Kevin & Ann Pendley, Renee’ Hanft, Gary Gardner, Amy Lutzel, & Keith, Theresa, Brett, Brock, & Audrey Weyer.

User Rating: / 1
PoorBest 

How do you make 80 children happy?.......................... Give them bicycles!

On Thursday, July 2nd, ten of EBC’s finest helped in the distribution of eighty bicycles, and then, immediately afterward, conducted a bike rodeo to give the new cyclists an opportunity to try their bikes out.

For a third year, the members of the Evansville Bicycle Club assisted in the Great Bike Giveaway sponsored by the EVSC, Evansville Parks and Recreation Department, and Ivy Tech Community College. Two-hundred fifty children, ranging from the first grade through middle school, participated in the summer enrichment  program with the one hundred winners being determined based on their positive attitude, attendance, and participation in the program.

Eighty bicycles, helmets, locks, and reflectors were distributed at the Ivy Tech location with the other twenty bikes being available at the six sites of the program. As can be seen, the children were quite excited about their new acquisitions.

The day began at 5:30 am with Rusty Yeager and Paul Jensen marking the course. The crew of EBC volunteers arrived at 2:00 p.m. to help in the  distribution of the bikes, and then became directional signals, stop and yield signs, and third wheels for the rodeo.

Heartfelt thanks to the following folks for helping to make EBC a more positive influence in the community: Dan Armstrong, Diane Bies, Renee’ Hanft, Hank Hudson, Paul Jensen, Cindy Jones, Amy Lutzel, Ann Pendley, Gene Van Stone, &  Rusty Yeager

Mr. Stop Sign—Dan Armstrong

Third wheel Diane Bies & Ms. Stop sign Cindy Jones

User Rating: / 1
PoorBest 

At about the same time last year (first week in June) on the local news was a story about a program sponsored by the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center that taught children how to ride a two wheel bicycle in four days. I thought that was pretty amazing in itself, but this program was for special needs children!

So, at the June 2008 EBC club meeting, I asked those in attendance if they were aware of such a program. Only Dan Armstrong knew of the existence of the venture and gave a brief recap. At that time I said that we, as  a club, with our interest in advocacy, should become involved. There was agreement though the program was over for the year, and it was put on the back burner.

This May, I received an email from Dan reminding me that the “Lose the Training Wheels” program was again scheduled and would be presented from June 1‐5. That was all that was needed. The word got out, and four members worked their schedule around the requirements for the program: volunteer for the week for the same time slot (one hour and fifteen minutes) for the week. All EBC club members were able to assist for the afternoon sessions. Linda Clemmer assisted in the 1:00‐ 2:15 session while Amy Lutzel and myself were there from 2:30‐3:45. Ironman Dan Armstrong volunteered for BOTH afternoon sessions.

The Nuts and Bolts - How it Works

Lose the Training Wheels

• An international program with over 50 camps planned for the summer of 2009.
• All bikes used are included.
• Three experienced professionals are provided with one being a mechanic.

The Evansville “Team”

• Heidi, 9th year, mechanic, recent graduate of Olivet Nazarene
• Nikki, 2nd year, recent graduate of Wichita State University
• Brianne, 1st year, recent graduate of Missouri Baptist College

Bringing the program to Evansville comes at a cost of $10,000 and is for children from 6 to 20 years of age.  The national success rate for children to ride independently on a two wheel bike by the end of the last session is 85%. More information is available at:  http://www.losethetrainingwheels.org/

The Evansville Camp

• Location: Hebron School
• Sponsored by: Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center
• In Charge: Patty Balbach, Linda Dillon

Cost per student for the local camp is $150.00. It is a five‐day program with six students per class, five class sessions per day, one hour and fifteen minute classes.

The process

Rollers replace the back wheel. There are five levels of rollers with the beginning roller at level 3, which is about as large at the outside as it is on the inside.Each level of roller has a smaller circumference at the outside. There is a special handle at the back of the bike to let the volunteer assist in stability when needed. As the student becomes comfortable at one level, a higher number roller replaces the previous one. Also, these bikes have high handle bars to encourage sitting up straighter and this promotes  looking forward. Also, they do not have brakes. Otherwise they are considered normal “cruiser” bikes with traditional seats and sized wheels. 

After mastering the “roller” bikes, the next progression is to a “real” bike which is a normal single speed “cruiser” bike that has both a coaster brake plus a rear hand brake. This bike also has the handle in the back.

The EBC team of Amy, Dan and Paul “adopted” Alexa “Lexi” Oser, and a chronicle of her progress through the week follows:

Lexi is 12 years old and is a resident of Ferdinand, IN. She was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 8. An attempt was made at age 10 to teach Lexi to ride a two wheeler, and, as her mother said, “She started out great, but then crashed and burned.” As you can see she is a beautiful young lady with a smile that never ends.

Lexi’s daily log: 

Day 1

Met with her EBC team. Began at level 3,progressed to level 5 by the end of the session. The students ride in an oval around the basketball boundary lines with an assistant in close  proximity. The students change direction about every fifteen minutes.

Day 2

Went from level 5 to level 7. Went outside and successfully rode a tandem with Heidi.

Day 3

After 30 minutes riding at level 7, it was time to move to a two wheeler where Lexi rode   up anddown the gym floor being assisted in starting and stopping. Then it was time to go outdoors to the parking lot where she rode a “normal” cruiser bike in a large oval rotation with an assistant (Amy and Lexi’s mother) running along side. We would go fifteen  minutes one way and then fifteen the opposite way to learn turning in both directions. We also practiced stopping skills using the rear hand brake and starting from a stop (the most difficult skill.)

Day 4

Even though the camp is scheduled to go through Friday, this  was going to be Lexi’s last day since a family camping trip had been arranged long before the bicycle camp put on the schedule. While Lexi and Amy were practicing skills mom was receiving advice   on how to adapt Lexi’s bike to meet the recommendations made by Heidi, the mechanic. Mom pretty well decided that it would probably be a good idea to purchase a new bike that was already set up correctly. And since Lexi was pretty tall, she would probably not  need another bike later.

By the time this day of cycling was completed Lexi could, with confidence, start, stop, turn both ways and change speeds. Because Lexi would not be present the last day, she received her certificate of accomplishment plus she got to keep her helmet.

Day 5

This was a day of final accomplishment with a closing ceremony that had each child in the program strutting their new skills in front of the visiting parents in attendance. Out of the 29 beginners from the first day, 25 were able to perform the basic skills of  starting stopping and turning on their own two wheeler. The other four need minor assistance with one or more of the skills. All in all everyone associated with the program, (students, parents, staff and volunteers) felt much better for the experience.

User Rating: / 1
PoorBest 

Good news: The Warrick County Commissioners will be putting up 26 SHARE THE ROAD signs in Warrick County along routes that are frequently traveled by bicyclists. The “SHARE THE ROAD” Campaign purchased these signs.

During the commissioners meeting on  Monday, May 11th , I presented a proposal to the board. Charlie Martin (former EBC member, who may rejoin the ranks of the EBC) gave guidance and support along with Paul Jensen, Ann Pendley, and Gene Van Stone. The commissioners told us that we would  have to furnish the 12' posts on which the signs will be mounted. Samuel Roach, Superintendent of the Warrick County Highway Dept., said his crew would install the signs. This will not be a priority project, and the signs will be installed as time allows.

Our bike club voted to purchase the posts costing $342. There will be approximately 10 signs in the Blue Grass Recreational Area as well as signs along Stevenson Station Road, Telephone Road, Vann Road, Roeder Road, Yankeetown Road, Tennyson Road, and Old Plank Road. As funds become available, I hope to see more.

At the May EBC club meeting, our members presented the Adventure Scouts of the Buffalo Trace Council with 2 Trek mountain bikes that we purchased to complete their fleet for their summer program.

On April 26th, six members of the EBC went to South Terrace School in Wadesville for a Boy Scout Rodeo. It was a very windy day and at times we were chasing orange cones across the parking lot. The turnout of boy scouts was light, but the scouts and parents  were enthusiastic. They appreciated us taking the time from our busy schedules to help teach bicycle safety.