Bike First! will be offering its weeklong bicycle clinic for people with disabilities, June 21-25, 2010 at Concordia University in northeast Portland. To demonstrate the value of cycling for everyone, Portland Trailblazer Martell Webster will be assisting at the clinic on Monday, June 21.

Riding a bike is something most of us take for granted. We learn to do it for fun as a kid, and as we grow up, it becomes a form of transportation, recreation or even competition. For people with disabilities, it’s not that easy. Bike First! uses specially developed bicycles on rollers to teach children and adults with special needs how to ride a traditional bicycle. Dozens of volunteers act as spotters, running alongside, encouraging and training the cyclists as they learn to ride on their own.

“In just one week, we typically help the majority of our participants learn to ride a real bicycle, on two wheels,” explains Ann Donaca-Sullivan, Bike First! Clinic Director. “You’ve never seen smiles on so many faces, including all of the volunteers.”

Portland Trailblazer forward Martell Webster will be helping out as a spotter at the clinic from 12:30-2:15 on Monday. As an advocate of athletic and education opportunity for disadvantaged kids through his MW23 Foundation, Webster believes that everyone should be able to learn to ride a bike. “We are thrilled that he has agreed to come motivate and work with the campers,” says Donaca-Sullivan.

Bike First! is the Portland affiliate of Lose the Training Wheels™ and has conducted summer clinics in Portland since 2006. The organization is also offering its one-day fundraiser called Quick Start, which is a bicycle training day for kids, ages six and older without disabilities, on Saturday, June 26, 2010. To learn more about Bike First! and Quick Start, visit www.bikefirstlttw.com. For more information on Lose the Training Wheels™, go to www.losethetrainingwheels.org.