Getting our first bike, and learning to ride it, is a rite of passage: our first mode of independent transportation, something shared with family and friends. It’s a shared experience across many different cultures.

In the case of children with special needs, however, a bicycle is too often something that’s “only for other kids.”

Physical barriers and/or socioeconomic obstacles can make it impossible for these children to share in this cherished experience of youth. Adaptive bicycles built specifically for the specialized needs of children with physical and/our neurological challenges are cost-prohibitive for many families. Such bicycles can cost roughly $5,000.

As part of the Flyers’ Alumni Association’s “12 Days of Christmas Season Giving” program, our association president, Brad Marsh, worked in conjunction with Radnor, Pennsylvania-based charity Help Hope Live, to identify a family for whom we could make a gift of a customized adaptive bicycle for their special needs child.

On Dec. 24, 2020, the Flyers Alumni presented a Flyers Alumni themed, adaptive bicycle to five-year-old Lucy Brooks of Springfield, PA. To learn more about Lucy’s  story, click here.

Lucy’s joy and her family’s happiness inspired Brad Marsh to expand upon our final 2020 presentation of our 2020 version of the “12 Days of Christmas Season Giving” and create an entire new program around it.

The new program is called “Every Child Deserves a Bike.” 

Each month, with an assist from  Help Hope Live and through the generosity of sponsors and Flyers fans, we will present a young recipient with the life-changing gift of his or her own bicycle tailored to the child’s needs. On our Flyers Alumni website and social media, you will meet each recipient and learn more about his or her story.

Your support of our fundraising drives ( FlyersAlumni.com), along with the continued support of our sponsors, is vital to the ongoing success and viability of “Every Child Deserves a Bike.”

So far, the outpouring of interest has been tremendous. We thank you!