 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Lose the Training Wheels |
|
The Lose the Training Wheels (LTTW) program works with youngsters (and some not quite so young) who experience difficulty in getting past training wheels and on to conventional two-wheel bicycles. The organization primarily focuses on children who have varying types of disabilities. However, they have also helped some "able bodied" children who were having difficulties learning to ride as well.
After the children master those two adapted bikes, they are introduced to more subtle changes as they are transitioned from the rollers used on the first two training bikes to rollers with more crown, which are more challenging.
"Benefits of riding a two-wheeler include an infectious smile, peer inclusion, building of self-esteem, family lifestyle enhancement, increased activity and mobility, increased cognitive stimulation, and better physical fitness. . . all of which are great for children with disabilities!" A Lose the Training Wheels camp is one week long. Children who will do well in these camps are those who
Being able to ride a two-wheeler brings smiles to kids, as well as a shine to their hearts. Getting children past training wheels, especially children with special needs, is what Lose the Training Wheels is all about. Two camps are being organized for Missouri for 2007. One will be held in St. Louis; the other will be held in Springfield. "The camp we had in St. Louis last year was awesome," relates Gretchen Montgomery, area coordinator for the Lose the Training Wheels program in Missouri. "We had 38 children involved and not ONE of them could not ride a two-wheeler without training wheels by the end of the camp!"
If you are interested in learning more about enrolling a child in the St. Louis or Springrfield camp, please contact Gretchen at glmon@yahoo.com or 314-608-0025. For the two camps, which will take place in June 2007, they need help to secure the following:
Product donations are also needed for the two camps. These include:
If you can provide funds for bikes, helmets, meals and/or camp trainers, please DONATE NOW! If you can donate any of the above products, please contact us and we will let you know where to bring the product for each camp. If you can assist with the securing of the T-shirts and the screen printing for them, please contact us as soon as possible. |
|
LTTW is based on the use of a series of adapted bikes. Children are first started on what they call a "double roller" bike. Then after they become familiar with that, the children are encouraged to transition onto an adapted bike that is fitted with a single roller on the rear. 
"Our mission," states Dr. Richard Klein, developer of the unique bikes and founder of Lose the Training Wheels, "is to help children with disabilities be able to ride conventional bicycles without training wheels. Being able to ride a two-wheeler is a 'societal rite of passage' and an age appropriate activity. A child who can't or won't ride a bike is apt to suffer in a number of ways as peers ride off, leaving them behind.
In fact, DESIRE will often compensate for some of the other areas where a child may be lacking! 
Montgomery's daughter, Molly, who is a 12 year old with Down's syndrome, was one of the success stories. On the third set of training wheels on her bike, Molly was all smiles when she rode off on her own WITHOUT TRAINING WHEELS! Now she and her Mom enjoy biking together, which is great exercise for Molly (as well as her Mom)!
