Steel Wheels, Rose Garden to Host Bike Ride to Benefit Norton Family

The Rose Garden Coffeehouse, along with The Steel Wheels band and preschool, is holding a 15-mile sponsored bike ride on Saturday, May 19, to benefit a local family. 

The ride, called “Wheels Up for Corey,” will benefit the family of Corey Dominick. Corey was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer on Valentine’s Day this year. He, along with his wife Sarah and two small children Kelsey and Harrison, live in Norton.  

The ride will commence at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 19, from the parking lot at The Children’s Studio preschool, 184 W. Main St., Norton. The four members of The Steel Wheels, an Americana/roots band from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, will be participating in the ride. Several slots are still open for experienced riders who are able to have their ride sponsored in any amount. Anyone interested can contact mac@rosegardenfolk.com. 

In fact, the idea for the ride came from The Steel Wheels themselves, each of whom is an accomplished bike rider.

“About once a month we like to help organize a bike riding benefit in the town where we are performing,” said one of the band members.

Rose Garden Coffeehouse organizers liked the idea and the wheels were set in motion. The Steel Wheels will be performing at the Rose Garden Coffeehouse in Mansfield that same evening. 

When the group of riders returns to The Children’s Studio parking lot at the end of their ride, they will be greeted by an interesting sight. A “Fun Raising Bike Event” for the Studio’s preschoolers and kindergarteners will be in full swing. The children will be navigating a special bike course designed just for them and their parents will be asked to consider making a donation to the Dominick family by supporting their child’s ride. 

Upon arrival, The Steel Wheels will hop off their bikes, break out their instruments, and perform a few songs in the parking lot, just for the assembled group. The public is invited to join this part of the event, which is likely to begin around 11:30 a.m.  

The Steel Wheels are highly proficient riders and last year strapped all their instruments onto their bikes (including a full size wooden bass) and rode 600 miles doing 10 shows in 11 days. An entertaining video showing how they accomplished this can be seen at their website, www.thesteelwheels.com. 

The Rose Garden Coffeehouse is located in The Congregational Church, 17 West Street, Mansfield. The Steel Wheels feature performance will get underway at the conclusion of the annual Performing Songwriter Competition which starts at 8 p.m. May 19. Tickets and more information about the show, The Steel Wheels and the Rose Garden may be found at www.rosegardenfolk.com.