FORT MYERS, Fla. (Dec. 23, 2022) – Thanks to support from Robbie’s Riders, Grampy’s Charities and Sanibel Captiva Community Bank presented six adaptive bicycles, worth between $3,000 and $5,000 to Southwest Florida children at the bank’s Bridge branch location in Fort Myers.
“These custom-made, adaptive bicycles give exceptional children a level of independence and autonomy,” said Jack Johannemann, director of Robbie’s Riders. “These bikes literally can change these children’s lives.”
All the recipients were referred from Golisano Children’s Hospital, GiGi’s Playhouse and various Naples therapy centers and are between the ages of six and 11 years old.
When riding these bicycles, the children benefit from general strengthening, new proprioceptive sensory input, and improved reciprocal coordination of the legs. They can now participate in activities with their families and peers and enjoy the normal childhood experience of riding a bike.
Robbie’s Riders provides special adaptive bicycles and tricycles to children with disabilities, according to their individual capacities and needs. The charity works to donate special needs cycles as quickly as they can raise funds to purchase them.
Grampy’s Charities raises funds and support for children’s organizations by partnering with comfort and research-based charities to make a difference in the lives of kids who need it most. An all-volunteer organization with no paid staff, they have donated more than $3 million to children’s charities over more than 25 years. For more information, visit www.grampyscharities.org.
