Kids who need them get adaptive bikes for Christmas

Squeals of delight and Santa's "Merry Christmas to all!" were heard when four children received adaptive bikes custom-outfitted for each of them and went for their first rides in front of The Therapy SPOT near a real fire truck earlier this month.

The special presentation during the therapy center's Cookies, Cocoa and Caring Santa celebration in the late afternoon of Dec. 12 was part of a joint effort by The Therapy SPOT, the AMBUCS charitable organization and the Statesboro Fire Department. Together, and with the support of other contributors, these organizations expected to deliver 14 more of the adaptive three-wheel cycles, known as Amtrykes, over the next few months to children and adults who need them in the Statesboro area.

The Amtrykes are free to recipients and their families.

Kylie Brigham, 4, second-youngest of the four children who received their wheels during the celebration, was soon seated on the second-smallest of the four trikes, the only one equipped with hand pedals in addition to foot pedals. Her mother, Nicole Gibbons, explained that Kylie, who was born with spina bifida, does not have a lot of strength in her legs and had not been able to ride before.

But she was soon moving forward with pediatric physical therapist Kailee Sylvester keeping a light touch on the helper's handle in back. Sylvester's first name happens to be pronounced just like Kylie's, but she's known simply as "Dr. Kai" (rhymes with pie) to children she works with and their families.

The bikes differed one from another in the configurations of handlebars, seats and pedals, and the presence or absence of chest or side supports or safety straps. Single or double handles in back for someone to help with steering or a boost were a common feature, but not one that necessarily remains long-term, as Caroline Bowman, one of the owners of The Therapy SPOT, explained.

"Kylie's has where a parent can help push, but then eventually that can be removed and she can do it on her own," Bowman said. "And the other really great thing is, like Kylie's going to get taller and bigger, and when she outgrows her Amtryke, it will go back to AMBUCS to be refurbished and given to another child, and Kylie will get a new one that is bigger."

AMBUCS, a national nonprofit charitable organization whose name was originally an acronym for American Business Clubs, provides the Amtrykes in unassembled kit form, with adaptive equipment supplied to custom order. Founded in the 1920s, AMBUCS resembles a civic club like the Rotary or a Lions Club, but its charitable mission focuses solely on the Amtryke adaptive tricycles program and support for therapists.

Physical and occupational therapists help to determine what adaptations are needed to support individual riders, and Sylvester, one of The Therapy Spot's two physical therapists, took the lead in making these latest custom orders.

The Amtrykes cost about $1,000 each on average, so this year's orders required about $18,000 in contributions.

"It's all just fundraising in the community," Bowman said. "So individuals have made donations; several organizations in the community have either given a monetary donation or said that they will purchase one bike."

For example, one of the local Rotary Clubs purchased one Amtryke. Morris Bank also awarded The Therapy SPOT therapists and their AMBUCS group one of the bank's 12 Days of Christmas grants for $2,000, in effect paying for two trikes.

Statesboro Fire Department firefighters became involved as a source of labor, and also mechanical ability, for assembling the bikes. SFD Assistant Chief Jason Baker explained who it was that sold him and Chief Tim Grams and Deputy Chief Bobby Duggar on the project.

"They call her Dr. Kai," Baker said. "When she came in, she was so passionate about it and she told me what it was for, so I was fired up to get involved. I went straight to the chief's office, I told him what it was all about, and the chief was fired up about ‘Let's give it a try and try to help the community,’ and that's what we try to do," Baker said.

Duggar, who took the lead on figuring out how to assemble the Amtrykes, said it was far from obvious from the basic instructions. By the time this year's first four were delivered, he was able to adjust the trikes for the children and offer advice to parents.

But other firefighters from the department's three shifts had helped with assembly, and Baker said "everyone" was likely to help as more trikes arrive.

Demeikio Lipsey Jr., 2, the youngest recipient, is about the age when many children first learn to ride a tricycle. But riding may help him to walk.

"He's having trouble with his left foot turning in, and we’re trying to get his mobility together for him to start walking," said his father, Demeikio Lipsey Sr.

He said he loved the bike, expressed thanks to the Fire Department for the time and effort needed to assemble it, praised the work of "Dr. Kai," and said he and his wife love bringing their son to The Therapy SPOT.

Connor Ferron, 9, of course received a larger Amtryke. He had a standard tricycle when he was 2 but had not ridden since. He has cerebral palsy and autism.

"We live on a large property," said his mother, Rebecca Cain. "This bike will actually allow him to go outside and ride around, supervised. It's difficult for him to go out and play independently and he can't ride regular bikes, he doesn't have the balance."

Malachi Oros, 9, also took possession of one of the larger bikes.

"It's going to help tremendously, said his mother, Marcel Oros. "Malachi, I brought him a regular bike and he had it for years and he never learned how to ride his bike. …He was born with bilateral clubbed feet, and then his muscle tone, he was too weak to push the pedals."

But with guidance from Sylvester he had practiced riding an adaptive bike and was eager to try riding his own.

Connor and Malachi both took a close look at the fire truck, and Malachi said he wants to be a firefighter. Santa and Mrs. Claus were volunteers at the celebration, which featured fun events for families.

The Therapy SPOT and Statesboro-area AMBUCS club first presented a Amtryke to a child in December 2013 and have since presented about 15 to local recipients, including some adults with disabilities. So this year's revived effort was poised to double all the past years’ success.

Bowman said she would like to see more people join AMBUCS and support the program.