When Dave Fowler heard about Vista Vocational & Life Skills Center’s annual cycling event, the Vista Tour de Shore, he wondered if not having a bicycle would deter many Vista members from participating in the event. Fowler is the Director of a non-profit organization called Bikes for Kids that provides children and families in need with bicycles and helmets. Since Bikes for Kids was founded in 1989, they have donated nearly 17,000 bicycles! The majority of their donated bicycles go to children here in Connecticut, but they have also shipped bikes to Haiti after the earthquake, brought 136 bicycles to New York areas hit hard from Super Storm Sandy, and have even sent bicycles to Africa to help local villages get water and supplies faster.
Fowler offered bicycles to Vista members that didn’t have them and a number of them jumped on the opportunity. Bikes for Kids donated 3 bicycles to Vista members this year, which allowed them to participate in weekly group rides at Vista as well as the Vista Tour de Shore! This year, the Vista Tour de Shore had 17 Vista members participating, a record number for the event. The importance of having a bicycle for many Vista members goes beyond participating in this event, however. Cycling is not only a great form of recreation and physical fitness, but can it also provide Vista members with a new form of transportation to access the community and get to work. Vista is proud to have partnered with this important organization and looks forward to continuing this partnership with Bikes for Kids in the future.
For more information about donating or volunteering with Bikes for Kids, you can visit www.bikes-for-kids.net or contact Dave Fowler at davefowler05@gmail.com.
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Based in Madison and Westbrook, CT, Vista Vocational & Life Skills Center is a 501©3 nonprofit organization. Vista’s mission is to provide services and resources to assist individuals with disabilities achieve personal success.
For more information regarding Vista, please visit www.vistavocational.org
