One of our rules is that everyone finishes each course. Our staff makes sure to encourage and motivate the kids all the way to the finish line!
Part of our internship program involves each intern writing a weekly blog about a particular topic they’ve learned or discovered. Today, Michael Chettleburgh, interning with us this summer from Indiana University, has tackled the blog:
- High Fives: Everyone likes a high five and every kid that gets on to ride is assured at least one. Most of the time the kids get a high five for every course they finish.
- Everyone Can Ride: Not everyone knows how to ride a bike, but that doesn’t mean they can’t ride! Lots of time is spent holding a foot onto a pedal and helping the rider pedal by hand. It’s by far one of the more tiring things we do, but it is also the most rewarding getting someone who has never ridden to be able to!
- Everyone Wants to Ride: Regardless of how many times a kid may scoff at riding our bikes, if you get a few of his friends on the bikes then they will all show genuine enjoyment from riding. Being able to ride with friends makes all the kids that much more excited about getting on the bikes!
- Weekends Are Long But Fun: Even though the weekend events we work are by far our longest days, they are by far the most rewarding. We were able to get hundreds of individuals on the bikes at the Special Olympics last month and made a lot of people’s days doing so! Likewise at the Indy Criterium Festival we had lots of families on the bikes and had a great time with all the vendors there.
- Everyone Finishes Each Course: We make sure to cheer each rider on all the way to the end, regardless of how fast or slow they may be. Many times we can get the kids into it as well, cheering on their peers all the way to the end!