Tag: generosity

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Working with the New York Veterans Affairs Hospital’s “Pedals of Honor”

For the past four years I’ve had the privilege of working with the New York Veterans Affairs hospitals, helping to put wounded vets on recumbent trikes.  For the past three years, in May, New York City Recumbent Supply has volunteered at the “Pedals of Honor” event, which the VA hosts in conjunction with Achilles International.  As an event volunteer, I help set up bikes and trikes, provide maintenance and repairs, fit participants onto trikes and bikes, and support the massive group ride around the park.  It’s a thrill to work with these guys and I look forward to it every year.  Neile Weissman, president of the New York Cycle Club, also helps.

I’m consistently impressed by the staff from the VA, who seem to truly love their work.  This year, I was additionally pleased to meet Dick Traum, the founder of the Achilles Track Club, now known as Achilles International.  I admire what Mr. Traum has done for disabled athletes.  CNN produced a video about Mr. Traum that you can watch here.

Have fun, stay healthy, and look for someone you can help,
Robert
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Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2015 Robert Matson

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Important! Help me raise $250,000 to increase access to recumbent bikes in New York Metro

Vote here. It’s fast and free.
https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/business/detail/60386

Voting ends Nov. 15 at midnight.

I need your help, guys.  And I need it now.  Please.  Voting ends Nov. 15 at midnight.  I still need more votes.

I realize recumbent bike riders in the NY Metro area wish we had a larger dealership here.  I feel the same way.  And I’d like you to know I keep hammering away at it.

Some of you know the business and you know how incredibly hard it is.  That’s especially true in a high-cost region like NY Metro where we pay 3x what others pay for real estate and 2x more for utilities.  Those of you who know me personally know how I knock myself out to grow the business, every day.

At last weekend’s Recumbent Cycle Convention, dealers and manufacturers from all over the country, pretty much to a man, expressed overwhelming support for what I’m doing, including offers to help if they can, etc.  The level of kindness was really touching.  And it appears I’m on pretty much a similar path to everyone else, doing similar things.  (It also turns out that a few manufacturers consider me their “best” dealer; that felt good.)

None of you will be shocked to hear the main obstacle to growing New York City Recumbent Supply is money.  So, I’ve applied for a huge competitive grant from Chase Bank.  If I get it — if we get it — it’ll be massive and will dramatically increase access to recumbent bikes in our region.

All I need is your vote.  It’s fast and free.
To be considered for the first round of this competitive grant process, I need your support: your vote, in fact.  And the votes of your friends.

The link is below.  When you go to the site, Chase is going to ask for Facebook stuff.  They say they don’t use or retain the info.  I assume it helps prevent voter fraud.  But I don’t know.  I don’t control it.  Unfortunately, some people have found this off-putting.  Please don’t be put off.

Vote here:
https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/business/detail/60386

Thanks to each of you for helping grow the bent-riding community in Greater NY.

All best,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2013 Robert Matson

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Pedals of Honor

Nano (L) and Antonio (R) are two of New York’s most recognizable athletes. They lead an 8am Saturday morning hand-cycle training ride in Central Park. In upper left hand corner, left to right, Robert Matson, Joe Traum and Sze Wing Kwok speak with an athlete about hand cycles and an upcoming race.
Lining up to ride the Central Park loop.

Today I assisted with the recumbent trikes at the Pedals of Honor program from the VA Veterans Integrated Service Network 3 Adaptive Sports Program.  Neile Weissman, New York Cycle Club’s ‘bent-riding ride leader extraordinaire, helped.  The HP Velotechnik Gekko fx seemed to be the favorite trike foot-cycle.

Nice shirt.  Photo of me (Robert) taken later that day. During
the event I was too busy to ask for a photo, as usual. I need
to start asking people for photos, while the action is…in action.

What is “Pedals of Honor”?

From the press release…

Pedals of Honor makes cycling a reality for Veterans with limb loss

A new program from the VA Veterans Integrated Service Network 3 (VISN 3) Adaptive Sports Program and Achilles International invite Veterans with limb loss to participate in a bike riding experience, Cycling in Central Park, on Wednesday, May 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event, sponsored by DAV Transportation Network, the Long Beach VFW Post 1384, Hicksville VFW Post 3211, VVNW Nassau County Chapter 82 and DAV Amputation Chapter 76, serves as the kick off for what will be a weekly cycling program in Central Park for Veterans.

“Adaptive sports are an amazing way to facilitate overall health and wellness while providing an opportunity for our New York and New Jersey Veterans to explore the city in ways they haven’t before,” said Leif Nelson, Prosthetics Clinical Coordinator at VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, which houses the VISN 3 Prosthetics Program.

Achilles International has partnered with the VA VISN 3 Adaptive Sports Program to provide top level instruction for Veterans wanting to participate in cycling. The program uses top of the line cycles that will accommodate Veterans with a wide range of disabilities including Spinal Cord Injury, Limb Loss and Visual Impairments.

Eligible Veterans can participate in group rides and instruction and the program is open to all experience levels from beginners to experts. Equipment can accommodate any and all disabilities.

Have fun and stay well,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2013 Robert Matson

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Customer generosity: fundraising for “Moveable Feast”

Anne G., on her famous telemagenta Street Machine Gte
at the 2012 event, covering 140 miles.
(bike is from New York City Recumbent Supply)
Photographer: unknown (as of now)

Anne Griepenburg, a friend and customer, is raising money for Moveable Feast, an organization dedicated to providing nutritious meals to folks with HIV and their families. Her team name? “Bike Curious.”
Click here for Anne’s fundraising page.

Anne’s fundraising goal is $3,000 and, as of the time of writing, she’s over half-way there.  Help her go over the top!


Your donation = meals delivered.  The generosity of people like you, reader, enables Moveable Feast to deliver nutritious meals to folks with HIV and their families. Last year, Anne, her amazing team of riders, and their wonderful supporters raised over $19,000!  This meant that over 14 people and their families were fed for an entire year thanks to the Bike Curious family!


But I (Robert) am getting ahead of myself. There’s a cycling event behind this. It’s called “Ride for the Feast” (RFTF).  It’s a two-day, 140-mile charity bike ride. Day 1 is a 100-mile ride from Ocean City, MD to Wye Mills, MD.  There’s an overnight stay at Chesapeake College.  Then, on Day 2, riders pedal from Sandy Point into Baltimore City and cross the finish line at Moveable Feast’s East Baltimore headquarters. The ride is 140 miles long because that is the exact distance a Moveable Feast driver must go to deliver to their farthest client.  100% of the money raised by participating riders and crew members goes directly towards putting food on the table for Moveable Feast’s clients.

The 11th annual “Ride for the Feast” takes place next weekend, May 11th-12th, 2013.  Interested in riding next year?  Watch the org’s website at: www.mfeast.org

Join the Bike Curious Team.


Team Bike Curious is riding together for their 4th year in the 2013 Ride for the Feast!  They are artist, health care professionals, educators and technologist from the Baltimore area who ride to raise money and awareness for Moveable Feast. They see it as their way to give back to the community through a grassroots organization that is providing healthy food and other services for people living with AIDS, breast cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Team Fundraising Goal: $20,000.00
Total Raised: $12,191.00

Members Recruited
Recruitment Goal: 15
Members Recruited: 8

Have fun, stay healthy, and deliver some love and nutrition to those who have less than you,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2013 Robert Matson