Rides & Events
2007 Apr 19
GHORBA & HART Sprockids Program a Big Success
On Sunday March 11th, approximately ten GHORBA volunteers and ten Houston Adventure Racing Team (HART) volunteers teamed up to hold the first Sprockids event of the year. Thanks to the our new Sprockids Director Melissa Juliano (HART Racer) and the rest of the volunteers the event was a big success for the children. With a good bit of pre-event planning over 20 children’s bikes were brought to the Memorial Park area for reconditioning prior to the event. The morning of the event Rick Sanders of HART graciously delivered all bikes and gear to Memorial Park, along with fruit donated by Fresh Pak produce. Here the volunteers convened to divvy up tasks as ride leaders and followers, gather first aid kits and water bottles, and set up a short bike course for the children to practice on.
Soon the shuttles pulled up from the Depelchin Center carrying to groups of 10 children. When the children arrived, they were fit to bikes and helmets, and given a safety course and a quick lesson in bike anatomy. After this the children were anxious to try their hand at the bike course, weaving in and out of cones and hopping over tree branches. Some of the children learned to ride a bike for the first time at this point and were so thrilled by this accomplishment, as were the volunteers!
Next the children were set loose on the trails in small groups of 4 or 5 and under the supervision of 3 volunteers. Many had so much fun riding, that just as they came back in for a water break, they were ready to go out again on the trails. Eventually, we were out of time as the Depelchin children had to return home, but we definitely left on impression on many of these children who now claimed to be lifetime mountain bikers. We hope to hold another event like this in the next few months, so keep your eyes out for this extraordinary volunteer opportunity!
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