Kiwanis Club sponsors iCan Bike program

ALBANY — The Albany Kiwanis Club sponsored the recent iCan Bike program in conjunction with the Challenger League and the 11 Foundation.

Of the 24 children enrolled in the Albany class, 19 could ride a two-wheeled bicycle by the end of the week. There were many volunteers who came on a daily basis to help the children learn to balance, stop, start and turn the bicycles.

Food for the volunteers and instructors was provided by Pearly’s, The Quickie, IHOP, Moe’s and BJ’s Country Buffet.

The iCan Bike program was spearheaded for the Albany Kiwanis Club by Dewey Smith, who was recently selected as club president for the current year. The two instructors were Kelly Barns and Robin Feuerman.

iCan Shine is an international charitable nonprofit organization that collaborates with organizations or individuals to conduct more than 100 five-day iCan Bike programs in 32 states and four Canadian provinces, serving nearly 2,000 people with disabilities each year. Since the organization began in 2007, it has successfully taught approximately 20,000 people with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheel bicycle

Around 80 percent of the people who participate in the iCan Bike program ride a two-wheel bicycle independently at least 75 feet with no assistance by the end of the five-day program after attending 75-minute sessions each day. The remaining 20 percent usually make progress toward this goal and leave the program accompanied by parents and/or siblings trained as “spotters,” who pick up where the camp leaves off.

The Albany Kiwanis club is preparing for its next project – a 5K and one-mile Pancake Run — on Oct. 28. The club is looking for runners and volunteers to help make the event a success. For further information, call Shane Smith at (229) 438-0672.