04 Mar Variety’s Bike Camp
SAVE THE DATE!
Registrations for Variety’s 2025 Bike Camp will open on March 4th!
Rider Information:
When: Week 1: June 30th – July 4th, 2025
Week 2: July 7th – 11th, 2025
Location: Transcona East End Arena – 517 Pandora Ave East, Winnipeg
Requirements for Participation
To ensure the safety of our riders there are certain criteria that all riders must meet to be eligible to attend the Variety Bike Camp program.
In order to participate children must meet the following criteria….
- Living with a disability
- At least 8 years old when camp starts
- Able to walk without assistive device
- Able to side step swiftly to both sides
- Minimum inseam of 20” (please measure from floor while wearing sneakers)
- Willing and able to wear a properly fitted bike helmet at all times when on a bicycle at the start of camp
- Maximum weight of 220 lbs
- Able to attend the same 75-minute session for all 5 days of camp
- Open to residents of Manitoba
For any inquiries contact Michele at 204-982-1050 or email Michele at:bikecamp@varietymanitoba.com.
What is Variety’s Bike Camp:
With the use of customized adapted equipment, trained professionals, and over 160 volunteers, approximately 80% of riders living with a disability will learn to independently ride a 2-wheel bike, the remaining 20% make tremendous progress towards that goal! Our Bike Camp in Winnipeg has become the largest of its kind in North America.
Many children living with a disability are unable to ride a two-wheel bike. For example, recent research shows that over 80% of people with Autism and 90% of people with Down syndrome never learn to ride a two-wheel bicycle.
Parents may have tried to support and teach them in doing so but lack the specialized equipment and training to support them in this skill building process. Children may feel excluded and embarrassed because they are unable to ride a bike with their friends and family. By giving these children the opportunity to learn the necessary skills, Bike Camp increases the rates of participation, opportunity and independence for children living with a disability.
Bike Camp consists of five 75-minute bike-riding sessions per day, Monday to Friday each week, with eight riders per session. When families register for week 1 or week 2, you can choose your preferred session time. A parent or guardian is required to stay with their rider during camp session.
Watch this from last year’s Bike Camp:
Interested in volunteering? Visit this page: www.varietymanitoba.com/bikecampvolunteers and sign up today.