Kiwanis Club donation is hit with students

Kiwanis Club gives bike for North Ridgeville students with disabilities

The North Ridgeville Kiwanis Club gives a bike for North Ridgeville students with disabilities.

The North Ridgeville Kiwanis Club made a generous donation Sept. 6 to the North Ridgeville Academic Center, 34620 Bainbridge Road, by donating an AmTryke bike for students with disabilities.

“This is something we felt was a need for the district,” said Gary Krone, president of the Kiwanis Club.

“We knew there are some individuals here that could make use of a specialized bike, and it’s our job as a club to help out where we can.”

Krone said the group looks for certain areas that others may not know about.

“The need for some children with disabilities to have bicycles may not be noticed by everyone, so we wanted to address it,” he said. “There was an obvious need for help, and we took advantage.

“We have also donated four other bikes to the school district (North Ridgeville City Schools) in the past because we don’t want students to be left out.”

Krone said the Kiwanis Club’s next project will be sensory bags.

“Folks can come over for our next meeting, 7 p.m., Monday (Sept. 9), where we will be making sensory bags for kids who have some sensory difficulties,” he said.

The meeting will take place at the Bullfrog’s Sports Cafe, 33137 Center Ridge Road in North Ridgeville.

Michelle Hyer, a paraprofessional at North Ridgeville Schools, said the district is grateful for the donation.

“They are so generous, not just for his bike, but for the four others as well,” Hyer said. “Kiwanis has been a huge help.

“These bikes aren’t cheap; they are at least $1,000 (the bike that was purchased is listed at $1,316.69 on americanqualityhealthproducts.com), so it’s really a huge donation.”

Hyer said the bike is a huge deal for the students.

“They love it so much,” she said.

“It makes them feel like every other kid that rides their bike.

“This bike is perfect for the students here. They are able to ride it with little to no assistance.”

ZACHARY SRNIS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Cole Quintana, 14, a seventh-grader at North Ridgeville Academic Center, rides the new Amtryke bike Sept. 6 after being strapped in by Jennifer Phelan, a paraprofessional at the school.