Keep Calm and RydeOn!

"Keep Calm and RydeOn," said one of the 74 participants at the 3rd Annual PEAC Ryde-A-Thon Event. "I love anything that reminds me to keep calm," she finished, as she held up her bright red t-shirt. 

However, the 3rd Annual PEAC Ryde-A-Thon was anything but calm; with bands ranging from One Republic to Ke$ha to Jay-Z, ryders spun to upbeat songs for one hour at RydeOn spinning studio in Saline!

This is the 3rd year that RydeOn! Saline has been gracious enough to host a day of spinning with all proceeds benefitting PEAC. PEAC is a non-profit organization located in Ypsilanti, Michigan that empowers individuals with disabilities through cycling; in order to enrich lives by increasing community access, fostering social involvement and promoting healthy lifestyles. Our summer program helps over 30 students in Saline alone, and over 250 students throughout Michigan. Some of our students goals include learning to ride a two-wheeled bike, pedaling and steering a tricycle, and increasing endurance on a tandem.  

             Michael mastered the two-wheel this year, thanks to the help of PEAC Saline site! 

                  Katie LOVES to ride the tandem! This year Katie mastered her goal of balancing independently! 

Gavin Carter, first time participant at the PEAC Ryde-A-Thon said, “Kudos to everyone that came out and challenged themselves at RydeOn 2014!  It was my first time doing a spin class and I must say, although it was a challenge, keeping our determined students in mind gave me the motivation to push myself!” Gavin is looking forward to participating next year and helping the PEAC Saline students.

All participants received one hour of spinning from great RydeOn instructors, a free t-shirt, snacks including apples, granola bars and bananas provided by Busch's in Saline, and hot coffee provided by Bearclaw Coffee.

Participants also received two free raffle tickets to enter into our large prize drawing, which included three gift baskets from Pampered Chef, an autographed "fun." tshirt, hand-knit scarves and Performance Bicycle Gear. 

Due to the generosity of our sponsors, we were also able to give away two prizes per hour to participants just for showing up! THANK YOU, Wheels in Motion, Brecon Grille, Reincarnations Resale, Mac's Seafood restaurant, and Al Petri and Sons Bicycle Shop for these donations.

Due to the generosity of the community, this event has brought in more than $4,500 in donations. The generosity of the community helps to keep our costs low for our families! Because we believe that "Everyone Can Ride," we look to eliminate all barriers that might exclude someone from achieving their cycling goals. 

For more pictures of the event, please check out our facebook page or contact liz@bikeprogram.org or monica@bikeprogram.org! 

It is that time of year again! Time for the epic partnership between PEAC and RydeOn Cycling Studio in Saline!

Join us on February 8th, 2014 (the weekend after the Superbowl) to have a great workout and support PEAC while you're at it! Sign up with a team of four, or individually, for an hour-long session of cycling led by a RydeOn spinning instructor!

A class at RydeOn! includes your own Keiser M3 cycle, fit to your body, and an hour of instruction while enjoying pump-up jams and group support!
(Monica, the author of this blog post, most enjoyed the One Direction song during a tough portion of her first class!)

RydeOn Cycling Studio has been the proud supporter of the PEAC Ryde-a-Thon for three years, and is surrounded by the warm community of Saline.  The Waterman family has made Saline their home, and have found it to be a supportive, inviting place for all. We are so thankful for their support, and look forward to growing together!

This summer, PEAC Saline worked with nearly 40 students from the Saline community at our site between Harvest Elementary and Heritage Middle School. Countless milestones were reached and a seemingly infinite number of smiles were seen. Please help us ensure that this work continues in 2014. 

We would love to see you at the 3rd Annual PEAC Ryde-a-Thon! Please visit the PEAC website to sign up!

Empowerment This Holiday Season

Written by John Waterman:

Helping, supporting and reaching out to people with disabilities is a nice step. However, empowering individuals to become the best they can be is the greatest thing any agency can do. Whenever an individual receives help, assistance, or a lending hand, that support will always need to be given by someone else. When an individual is an active part of getting that support for themselves, and empowering themselves to receive the support they need, they become the chief of their own destiny.

To do that, individuals need to begin with small steps. At PEAC, examples of empowerment are achieving personal milestones: riding with others, connecting with friends. A more advanced level is sharing their challenges with others, advocating for situations in which they can be successful and included and refusing to be excluded or left out.

As individuals become empowered, they realize that it is their responsibility to make sure they are part of society, and part of the solutions to make the world a better place to live.

Empowerment in PEAC was initially a byproduct of the success of our students and our refusal to accept anything but achievement. When our students achieved success, achieved personal milestones, and identified the support they needed to be independent, they grabbed ahold of it and naturally started advocating for themselves.

As an agency, we saw the success of these individuals from students like James Kleimola, Ryan McGraw and Aaron Welty.

The success of these initial pioneers gave us the opportunity to start working with younger students to help them become self-advocates, and empowered through cycling. Knowing the potential and results we had seen, it has given us a roadmap to use with our youngsters.  

The first individuals who were empowered through PEAC became an inspiration to our students and a joy to our students’ parents, who saw the potential of their child with a disability. These youngsters are individuals like Conor, Katie, Kaitlin, and many others, who are now taking steps to make the world a better place to live in.

What began as a program to keep individuals safe and to share the joy of cycling and personal achievement has developed into a chance for individuals to improve the world for all people with disabilities. Cycling is not just about the bike, it’s about the power the bike gives us.

Please consider contributing to this process of empowerment this holiday season. Any gift that you can make will go so far in the life of an individual with a disability. Thank you for your consideration, and happy holidays!

You may make a donation here: http://peac.causevox.com/

PEAC believes in Milestones

Milestones: a significant event or stage in the life, progress, development,or the like of a person, nation, etc.:

Take a moment today to reflect upon your life. What are the milestones that stick out to you? In more recent years, perhaps those milestones were getting married, buying a house, or getting a new job. But when you reach back into the depths of your memory, think about those early milestones. Walking, maybe? Going to school for the first time? What about riding a bike? Usually, that first feeling of freedom is one that is hard to forget!

At PEAC, we believe in reaching milestones. Milestones can be just about anything! When a student sets a goal for him/herself, that becomes the milestone. Take Ethan, for example. Ethan and his family decided that Ethan’s goal this summer would be to improve his steering and braking skills on the tricycle. We worked with Ethan on the track in the parking lot for several weeks in the beginning, before realizing that Ethan would shine on the trail around the park. By using this smaller track with real obstacles (the trees were pretty close to the edge!), Ethan was forced to use the handlebars to steer the bike away from the trees and stay on the course. It was clear that Ethan was having WAY more fun on the trail, too! Ethan accomplished this milestone and his pride was evident.

What happens when a child reaches a milestone? Parents cheer, staff members cheer, the student is beaming! There is joy all around, and it becomes a memory that is hard to forget.

PEAC believes in reaching milestones. Please consider donating today to empower more students to reach these life-changing milestones. Check out the Facebook page this week to see stories of some of our amazing students in action! Your donation will ensure that this work continues throughout the region and that more students are able to rise to new heights.

Michigan Hand Cycling Series ends season with Grand Rapids Marathon

1st Michigan Hand Cycling Race Series Season ends at the Grand Rapids Marathon

By Liz Horvat

Yesterday, the first year of the Michigan Hand Cycling Race Series ended with the culmination of the Grand Rapids Marathon. For a complete breakdown of the results from the Grand Rapids Marathon, click here. This event, held in its 10^th year, has been loved by runners and hand cyclists alike, and was seen as a very fitting end to a great season of racing.

“The Michigan Hand Cycling Race Series is a great opportunity to increase awareness for the sport”, says John Waterman, one of the founders of the Series. Waterman hopes that by picking select races throughout the state, the competition for the sport will increase as well as the spectators and excitement. This year, the races that were included in the series include the 5/3 Marathon, Great Lakes Bay Marathon, Cherry-Roubaix, Festival Sun Crit, Crim, and finally the Grand Rapids Marathon. “We are hoping to provide racers from across the state with an incentive to participate in this great sport,” says Waterman.

Sponsors of the series included Programs to Educate AllCyclists (PEAC) and Fusion Medical Equipment.  The support of these sponsors allowed the top participants to receive over $1,000 in prize money. In order to be eligible to win the overall series, racers must have participated in at least two races throughout the season. Points were based on the best four races of the season.

This year the series included four racers: Daniel Dewitt, Bryan Wilkinson, Brad Baumann, and Glen Ashlock; many of whom have been participating in the sport for years. The competition was fierce throughout the entire year, as can been seen in the final results, which only have first and second place separated by 10 points. We are happy to announce that Daniel Dewitt is the winner of the Michigan Hand Cycling Race Series!

Click here for more information about the Michigan Hand Cycling Race Series rules and regulations. 

If you are interested in participating in this event next year or becoming a sponsor of the series, please contact Liz Horvat (liz@bikeprogram.org) or John Waterman (jwaterman@bikeprogram.org)

PEAC Students continue to help Vulnerable User Bill move through Lansing

Unanimous Support of the Vulnerable User Bill
By Monica Walls

On October 16^th, advocates once again gathered to attend the second hearing for House Bills 5080 and 4792 in the Criminal Justice committee. After an impactful day of testimony on September 11^th (http://everyonecanride.blogspot.com/2013/09/youth-with-disabilities-push-for.html), the legislators were ready to put the bill up for a vote.

After a brief amendment to the proposed legislation, the Vulnerable User bills were both unanimously voted out of committee. What a victory for PEAC, our advocates, and many other organizations in support of the bills!

The Vulnerable User bills will increase penalties for motorists who injure or kill vulnerable users—defined as pedestrians, cyclists, and individuals using mobility devices.

PEAC is in full support of these bills, as it will make motorists more aware of cyclists, thereby making roadways safer for all of us. We teach our students rules of the road and encourage independent transportation. This legislation is the companion to our training, and will ensure safety of these independent travelers.

Today’s exciting news came just after an announcement that House Bill 4866, known as the “hand-signal” law was unanimously voted out of the House of Representatives and is now in the Senate (http://everyonecanride.blogspot.com/2013/10/peac-students-with-disabilities-move.html).

PEAC student James Kleimola has been crucial in advocating for both of these legislative topics, and is excited about their success: “We are making roads safer for me and for all bikers. We, as people with disabilities, can make a big difference. That is why we come to Lansing. It’s a great day.”

Thank you to all of the legislators who have listened and supported our students through these hearings. We are excited to continue moving this bill through Lansing! 

October 2013 Newsletter

PEAC Celebration of Cycling, Active Transportation and more! 

Waterman's window: A word from the Head Honcho
John Waterman, Executive Director

                                
This fall, students from PEAC are again advocating in Lansing to improve Michigan for cyclists. Our advocates, Connor, Katie, James and Abbey testified in front of the Judiciary Committee supporting the Vulnerable User Bill. These young advocates would like the same penalties for hitting a construction worker to apply to a motorist hitting an individual using a mobility device. 

Next, Shawn and James headed back to Lansing to push forward a bill that will legalize the use of an extended right arm to signal a right turn. This is the method that PEAC teaches to students. The students' testimony reached an extremely supportive group of legislators. Instead of pushing the vote back to next week as planned, Chairman Schmidt proposed a vote and it passed 13-0. This common sense legislation and the straightforward discussion from our students made the difference. 

These legislative victories are just steps in the right direction and will be followed up in the next few months as these bills move in the long journey to becoming a law.

In other news, Liz Horvat completed her first Celebration of Cycling as Ride Director. We are very proud of her, as we had more riders out to the event than ever before. The ride was a great success!

PEAC is so lucky to have great staff. This year, PEAC transitioned immediately from Summer Program to Celebration of Cycling to Active Transportation. Our staff's dedication to their programs, in addition to support from all of us, has made this transition smoother than ever.

We are excited to be working with students and teachers in the Wayne, Macomb and Oakland County districts during Active Transportation this year. The program is off to a great start and we are excited to see the program evolve. 

Kid's Corner

Kaitlin Barrett-Huff is one fierce twelve year-old. Through the years, Kaitlin has worked on a number of bikes, including the hand cycle and the tandem.

This summer, Kaitlin has been working on endurance. Through strengthening her arms on the hand cycle, she hopes to accomplish her goal of making a basket in one of her basketball games this fall.
At the Celebration of Cycling, Kaitlin rode 12 MILES on the hand cycle, a fantastic accomplishment! She was all smiles at the finish line. We are so excited for her and can't wait to see her future accomplishments!

Milestones Reached at the 21st Annual Celebration of Cycling
Liz Horvat, Director of Development

What a beautiful day we had for the 21^st Annual Celebration of Cycling! On September 14^th, 500 riders came out to show their support for our Summer Program students and their accomplishments! As a direct result of the generosity of the riders and those who sponsored cyclists, over $10,000 was brought into PEAC. These funds help us continue to work with all of our families to keep our programming affordable for everyone.
 
This event would not have been a success without the support of our Sponsors including Culligan Water, Crescent Moon massages, Healthy and Fit Magazine, Downriver Cycling Club, Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan, Al Petri and Sons Bicycle Shop, Wright and Filippis, Dr. Donald Wurtzel, DDS, TreeFort Bikes, Wheels in Motion, Push America, RydeOn! spinning studio and DALMAC. Please consider supporting these organizations while you are out and about and tell them that PEAC sent you! 

Please join us for the 22^nd Annual Celebration of Cycling as we celebrate 10^th Anniversary of Programs to Educate All Cyclists! We hope to see you on September 13^th, 2014 where we are encouraging ALL participants to “GO ABOVE AND BEYOND” to reach personal milestones! 

If you would like to be involved in the planning for the 22nd Annual Celebration of Cycling, please email Liz at liz@bikeprogram.org. 


On to the Next Thing: Active Transportation Initiative
Laura Padalino, Director of Active Transportation

The Active Transportation Program (ATP) is up and running for the 2013/2014 school year!  Seniors at Sterling Heights High School came to day one with a list of skills they wanted to learn this year on bikes.  Their list included: how to put a tire on a bike, signaling turns, how to ride a two wheel bike, and adjusting brakes.  Their initiative is awesome, and we'll be talking about each one of these skills and more this fall!   This year marks the third year of ATP, and we are currently working in Warren, Wyandotte, and Farmington Hills.  The first five weeks of this school-based program will focus on cycling skills, and we'll begin teaching students how to ride the city bus at the end of October.   More on our student accomplishments to come soon!  For questions about this program, email laura@bikeprogram.org. 

Local Fundraising: PEAC's Sustainability
Monica Walls, Director of Summer Program

As PEAC looks to expand in new locations, we are paying closer attention to the funding base supporting our current sites. We are so thankful for the generous sponsors we have supporting our sites, and are making a commitment to supplement these sponsorships with local fundraising. 

Throughout the year, each of our PEAC sites will host a local fundraiser to support the summer program site. This November, check out the PEAC Taylor Bowling Fundraiser! 

Have an idea for a local fundraiser in your area? Please contact Monica, our Director of Summer Program, at monica@bikeprogram.org. 

Spooky Ride: 2013's Last Family Ride! 

Spooky Ride is the last Family Ride of the year! On Friday, October 25th,  we will gather at Willow Metropark for two loops. The first loop will take off at 7:00pm and will involve trick-or-treating along the way. The second loop will be the SPOOKY part! We will put on headlamps and head out on the trail, where scary monsters and zombies will jump out as we ride! 

Please email Laura (laura@bikeprogram.org) to let us know you're coming! We need to make sure we have enough equipment and staff. We can't wait to see you! Happy Halloween! 


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