The Rotary Club was very happy to welcome Chris Christie and Julie Lacasse to our meeting today. Both these ladies spoke about their work with Cycling without Age, a continent wide organization which provides the cycling experience to those who through age, or disability have lost that experience.
The organization uses a Trishaw, which provides transportation for two individuals and is powered by a "pilot" and an attached electric bicycle. Their first full summer of operation, they provided 70 rides and have doubled their fleet of trishaws, to hopefully provide a significant increase in their capacity for 2024. They expressed a desire for more individuals to train as pilots, as that seemed to be a limiting factor in the number of rides last year. They received a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation to get the organization off the ground and support from both Pembina Pipeline and International Petroleum Corporation for training and equipment. They are responsible for insurance, pilot training and qualifications, helmets/racks and storage.
Their first year of operation centered on the Cypress View Foundation, who provided space to store the trishaws and offered their residents the opportunity to use the service.
It was apparently great for mood, mental health and an outstanding outing, especially when the trip included a stop at the ice cream shop. The group has also provided some youth and vulnerable sector individuals with the opportunity to participate and that has gone very well. They are currently looking for donations to allow operation of the service for the next year. More information is available at their website https://www.cwamedhat.ca .
Julie answered questions, including how Team Freewheel might potentially help with maintenance or volunteer service. She was presented with a Rotary Mug and thanked for her work and presentation by President Bruce Shepard.
