As a leader of the LSU men’s track and field team, senior pole vaulter Marcus McGehee will provide his insight into the LSU Track & Field program throughout the 2011 season as the Tigers and Lady Tigers join the national championship chase once again. Check back each week as McGehee provides a behind-the-scenes look into the program from an athlete’s perspective in competition, in the classroom and in the community.
Part 8 of McGehee’s blog features his recent community service involvement in a “Wheels To Succeed” fundraiser in conjunction with McMains Children’s Developmental Center and the Tiger Cycling Foundation.
Community Service with ‘Wheels To Succeed’
When I first started this blog, I said that I would try to talk about all of the different aspects in the life of a student-athlete. I think this week is a great opportunity to talk about a recent community service trip that I went on with one of my fellow pole vaulters, Lauren Saucier.
I purchased my first road bike this past fall in 2010, and since I really enjoy riding it, I decided that I would look online for community rides around Baton Rouge. While doing this, I came across a wonderful Wheels to Succeed “No such thing as impossible” fundraiser ride.
Wheels to Succeed is a charity program run by McMains Children’s Developmental Center and the Tiger Cycling Foundation that raises money to buy adapted bikes for children with disabilities.
Many of the children that go to the McMains Center aren’t able to do a lot of physical activities. So, these adapted bikes give them a chance to participate in everyday activities that their peers take for granted.
Each bike is custom made to fit each child with their exact measurements. On top of that, there are many different settings and adjustments that can be made to the bike to ensure that it is fully functional for each child. Taking these factors into account, the bicycles aren’t cheap and cost $2,500 at a minimum.
Since the start of the program in 2007, the two agencies have been able to purchase 32 adapted bikes. The fundraiser that was held two weekends ago generated $22,500 before the actual event, and then $3,000 on the day of the event. That is enough money for them to buy nine bikes!!
Seth Lacour is one of the kids that received a bike on Sunday, and like all of the other kids before him, he was just as excited.
Seth’s parents were able to purchase a bike on their own, however due to normal aging, Seth outgrew the bike he had and needed a new one. Ashley Leach, director of the Tiger Cycling Foundation, told Seth’s mom, Tina Lacour, that they could donate Seth’s old bike since they bought it outright and would receive one that would accommodate his growth.
The Mcmains Center has bikes at their location for the kids to ride and participate in physical activity. It’s where Seth was able to ride the bike for the first time. “I got there and saw Seth riding the bike and he looked so happy. When he was done, he told me he wanted one for Christmas,” Tina Lacour said.
Madison Templet is another one of the kids who received a bike last weekend, but it was the first one she had ever received. Her mother, Heather Babin, told me that Madison has been with Mcmains Center for about a year now and on the waiting list for a bike for eight months. She also said that every day Madison goes through all of her therapy, patiently waiting for the last 15 minutes of the day so she can go for a ride on one of the bikes.
“For most of these kids the ability to ride a bike is beyond them. We’re trying to give them an opportunity that they have never had before,” Leach said about the experience. “When they ride these bikes for the first time, the look on their faces is priceless.”
Every person that I spoke with at the fundraiser echoed these same thoughts and feelings about giving one of these kids an opportunity of a lifetime.
To learn more about the foundation, please visit its website at www.wheelstosucceed.org or check out the official Facebook page at Wheels To Succeed.