One of the best parts about going for a bike ride is feeling the sensation of the wind whipping through your hair. Rhonda Bampton from Dawson International Truck Centres’ location in Kelowna is now providing that same feeling for those unable to provide it for themselves.
“I love bike riding and Kelowna is a beautiful city to ride a bike in. I also know there is an elderly population that don’t have the ability to go out and ride around town,” said Bampton, Sales Business Development Representative.
The program is called Cycling Without Age, where riders from the Kelowna area volunteer their time and take one or two seniors out for a ride on the weekends. The program launches this fall, so Bampton is spending her summer training for the program.
Rides will occur on trishaws, electric assisted bicycles with two cushioned seats and seat belts over the front tire of the electrical bike. Even for an experienced rider such as Bampton, training sessions are required for all volunteers, as a few hundred pounds of weight will be on the front of the bike when fully loaded.
The plan is for Bampton to pick the seniors up from their care home and go for a cruise around Kelowna’s energetic downtown core. Bampton or other riders are not allowed to stop for coffee or purchase any goods for her passengers – just give them a 45- to 60-minute ride. Routes will be planned and recommended for the riders.
“I’m hoping this will brighten some of my passenger’s days,” said Bampton.
Bike riding in the fall in Kelowna is wonderful. Now Bampton will have the opportunity to share that experience with her elders.