Looking back... Fall 2011 AmTryke Road Show Stops
The AmTryke Road Show is a collection of events held throughout the year and across the country with the goal of creating awareness among therapy professionals of the AmTryke Therapeutic Tricycle Program. An AmTryke trailer full of equipment and adapted accessories is brought to therapy clinics, rehabs, children’s hospitals and VA’s. Each Road Show “stop” can include an in-service training and/or a bike day event. Click here to learn more about the AmTryke Road Show!
Here are just a few of the Road Show stops this past fall...
Illinois’ Pekin AMBUCS Holds Easter Seals In-Service
Greg Neaveill, Dennis Davison, and Debbie Davison assisted in the Annual In-Service Program at Easter Seals in September. Nine therapists experienced a hands-on class with over 15 AmTrykes and accessories at their disposal for the assessment of the needs of their clients. A big thanks to Gretchen Meyer from Easter Seals for coordinating, Joe Copeland for his priceless knowledge, Al Bedell from Bloomington, IL for his much-needed assistance AND truck to pull the AmTryke trailer owned and maintained by the Danville and Champaign AMBUCS Chapters. Thank you one and all for helping make this event so successful!
Educating Indy...
The goal for the Greater Indy Friends chapter was to show off AmTrykes in central Indiana and to educate folks on the positive ways these trykes can impact and change lives. In id-September the chapter put on a multiday, multi-venue Road Show to accomplish just that.
On Thursday and Friday, AMBUCS Executive Director Joe Copeland, Sue Haywood, and several dedicated Greater Indy members presented therapist training sessions at 4 different rehab facilities in the Indianapolis area. In addition, a neighborhood social was held for members and the community alike to see and learn about a trailer full of AmTrykes.
On that Saturday the team invaded the campus of University of Indianapolis where they offered yet another AmTryke training session for therapists and also for the PT/OT students and faculty. A handful of dedicated students offered their assistance as they got hands-on experience in fitting nearly 25 special Indy kids during the Bike Day event. To make the day even more special, the Greater Indy Friends presented 2 AmTrykes that day, to Kristy Niemeier and to Therese Farrell.
If you ask the chapter members why the 3-day event was so successful, they might say that therapists and members were educated and motivated, they got to work with some cool college students who will make a difference in the world, they gave away some AmTrykes, 4 new members joined or maybe just that they had the BEST fun working together to make it happen!
...And Meeting Jacob
In September, the Greater Indy Friends AMBUCS Chapter held a Bike Day at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana in Indianapolis, AMBUCS Executive Director Joe Copeland and the Greater Indy members met a new friend with an amazing spirit you can’t soon forget.
As the chapter members brought in the cool new adult AmTrykes for the therapist training session, Jacob Eller was having his therapy session. When he saw the AmTrykes, his face immediately lit up with interest. Greater Indy member Jennifer “Super-” Suba exclaimed, “Let’s put him on a bike!” Once riding, Jacob’s smile radiated throughout the entire workout room as he rode off on the new adult AmTryke hand cycle with Joe trying to keep up.
What the Greater Indy members discovered was that only 2 weeks prior, there had been a tragic car accident leaving him paralyzed from the waist down and instantly changing Jacob’s 21-year old life.
Jacob’s smile and spirit touched and inspired everyone there that day. Knowing that the accident will not hold this young man down for long, the Greater Indy Friends chapter is able to use a very special donation to have an AmTryke ready for Jacob when he is ready for it. Jacob’s joy in receiving it may match the joy AMBUCS feels in giving it!
