PRESS RELEASE September 2019
Donation Makes a Favorite Outdoor Northern Michigan Activity Possible for Everyone:
Challenge Mountain Receives Adaptive Bike Donation
BOYNE FALLS, MI | September 2019 — A bike ride along one of the beautiful trails in Charlevoix and Emmet counties is a recreational activity enjoyed by many in northern Michigan, but opportunities to participate in recreational activities are not readily available for friends, neighbors and visitors living with disabilities.
A recent gift has allowed Challenge Mountain to expand its fleet of adaptive bikes so more individuals living with disabilities can experience adventure on a bike. The AMBUCS chapter in Grand Rapids, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring mobility and independence, donated two Amtryke therapeutic tricycles. This brings the number of available bikes at Challenge Mountain to 13. “The addition of these tricycles will provide more opportunities for those living with disabilities and will allow us to coordinate group activities,” explains Program Director Linda Winn-Armstrong.
“This generous gift is a huge boost to the Challenge Mountain adaptive biking program,” shares Bill Aten, Board President. “These tricycles are advanced in their braking mechanisms and are highly adaptive to accommodate many disabilities. We are so grateful to AMBUCS for their generosity. Their 2016 donation of two tricycles allowed so many to take advantage our beautiful trails,” Aten adds. “Now even more will enjoy the outdoors on a bike.”
In addition to tricycle-style bikes, Challenge Mountain has buckets bikes, two-wheelers, side-by-side, hand-crank, and buddy bikes to accommodate various disability levels.
National AMBUCS is a nonprofit charitable organization with a diverse membership dedicated to creating mobility for people with disabilities by providing therapeutic tricycles to individuals, awarding scholarships for therapists, and performing community service for people with disabilities.
Challenge Mountain is a non-profit 501c3 organization established in 1984. Thirty-five years later, Challenge Mountain continues to enrich lives and empower individuals through year-round adaptive recreation. “At Challenge Mountain, we believe that all people, regardless of ability, should have opportunities to experience life and adventure, and in doing so realize their personal value, strengths and abilities,” explains Elizabeth Looze, Executive Director. “The obstacles faced and support discovered in these experiences help people become stronger individuals and community members. This gift is a wonderful example of how Great Things Happen Together, the Challenge Mountain motto.”
For more information about programs, volunteering or donating, visit CHALLENGEMTN.org or call 231.582.1186.