Five-year-old Autumn received her new specialized bike at a previous Spirits of Spring event and has enjoyed riding her bike and gaining strength!
“Our daughter Autumn was given the honor to be the recipient of an amazing gift during last year's Spirits of Spring event. Variety – the Children's Charity customized this bicycle to our daughter’s EVERY need! Variety welcomed our family and invited us to this beautiful event where our child was presented with her new ride. The event was filled with loving, caring and kind people. Autumn was born at 23 weeks gestation and suffered a grade four brain bleed. She was later was diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, epilepsy, intellectual disability, and much more. Autumn has shown so much improvement in her balance and stiffness of her legs within the first six months of riding her adaptive bicycle. To her, this bicycle is a fun toy, but it’s also helping her strengthen her muscles and improve her coordination. Her legs get stiff due to her cerebral palsy, but by riding her bike she can exercise and stretch them while enjoying the outdoors with her sisters. She is also now able to maintain balance on toys like a rocking horse or a rocking chair. The joy of seeing her able to play with her sisters outside is such a blessing - we can’t thank Variety enough for this bike! The impact this amazing adaptive bike has had on our daughter's life is limitless and we look forward to seeing how much more her physical strength grows as she continues to ride!”
Autumn's mom
Variety helps children with special needs gain mobility, independence, confidence, and the chance to fully participate in their communities. From adaptive bicycles to gait trainers, standers, and specialized strollers, these tools provide both physical and therapeutic benefits — and they are often cost-prohibitive or not covered by insurance. With support from donors, Variety partners with physical therapists across Iowa to ensure the children who need these resources most receive them.
This year’s Spirits of Spring is happening on April 30 and will once again feature a special bike presentation to a child living with special needs. Join us to witness the joy firsthand, enjoy wine, beer, liquor, and appetizers from local vendors, and help raise funds to change lives like Autumn’s.
Purchase your tickets today and give a child the gift of freedom, mobility, and pure joy.
