SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- For the fifth consecutive June, Notre Dame College hosted iCan Bike Cleveland for a week-long event where children and young people, some of whom have disabilities, learn to ride a bike on their own. The event began on Monday, June 15 and concluded on Friday, June 19, with a maximum of 25 children participating in the camp. 

The event was hosted in NDC's Murphy Gymnasium, where participants were partnered with volunteers to learn how to balance and steer on a bicycle. Each camper trained for 75 minutes a day for five consecutive days, learning the proper way to ride a bicycle. As the week went on and the participants progressed at riding, they eventually began biking in the Keller Parking Lot on NDC's campus.

"The event was a huge success," said co-camp director Rob Fellinger. "We had a success rate over 90 percent, which is great. With the support of NDC and all the volunteers, we were so thankful and pleased with how iCan Bike Cleveland went."

Many volunteers at the event were neighbors in nearby communities, and NDC staff and faculty members also volunteered to help teach children how to ride a bike on their own.

"It was so much fun," said NDC volleyball graduate assistant Megan Skouby. "It was very humbling to see them not be able to get up on their own, to eventually being able to ride on their own by the end of the week."

"The people were great, the kids were so fun to teach, and the event was great overall."

Local media outlets, including The Plain Dealer and Channel 8 Fox News, visited NDC's campus during the week to see just what iCan Bike Cleveland is all about. Links to those stories can be found below.

Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer: "iCan Bike gets special needs kids riding by summer"

Channel 8 Fox News: "National group teaches children with special needs how to ride bikes"