COMBINED LOCKS (NBC 26) — Good food, good music, good biking and a good cause. Sounds like the perfect Saturday, right?
This weekend is the fifth annual Bike to the Beat, and one special group of people looks forward to it every year.
“Most of the life of people with disabilities is very structured," said Christian Jensen, Executive Director for My Team Triumph Wisconsin. "It’s very much, 'Here’s what you can and can’t do.' Very rarely do people with disabilities have opportunities to do things that really give them a sense of freedom, where they can actually forget about some of the challenges that they face.“
MTT helps people with disabilities feel more included with the help of wheelchair bikes and volunteers known as 'angels.'
“People don’t care what your disability is," said Jensen. "People are cheering for you, they are excited to see you, and so this is one of the rare environments we’re people look beyond the wheelchair, if you will, and they just enjoy being around these individuals.“
BTTB has raised more than $181,000 over the years from bike registrations for the Fox Cares Foundation, which raises money for hunger, homelessness and the arts in our region.
"People that have just dusted off their bike in the last 20 years have decided to sign up for this event," said Heather Wessley, Community Engagement Manager for Fox Communities Credit Union.
Bikers can ride anywhere from five miles to the full 58 and anything in between, stopping along the way to enjoy food and live music.
“It’s just a lot of fun because you’re getting a lot of great food," said Wessley. "It’s more than just a banana and a granola bar type of ride.”
Registration for bike to the beat is still open online; it’s currently 25 dollars per rider. You can register for the in-person or virtual event here.
