Local Non-Profit Promotes Bicycle Safety and Independence

In 1988, a special education student in Battle Creek was injured by a car while riding a bicycle at night without a bike helmet. Special Education Teacher John Waterman became concerned as it was one of his students involved in the accident. "The community reaction was, why was this student with a disability riding a bike? John's reaction was, why was this student with a disability not taught how to ride a bike in a safe manner?" says Madison Prinzing, Director of Programs with PEAC (Programs to Educate All Cyclists). Following the accident in 1988, Waterman started an after-school bike safety program for kids with disabilities with many of his own students participating. The students began to see their bicycles as a means of independence and freedom and even engaged with other cyclists. From 1988 to 1992, the bike safety program was taken in and supported by the ARC of Calhoun County, a non-profit organization which provides supportive programs for adults with disabilities.

In 1992, Waterman moved to southeast Michigan and brought the bike safety program with him, locating it in Wayne-Westland. The program grew with support from sponsors and local partners, eventually becoming a summer program which included the downriver area, Detroit, and Washtenaw County. In 2004, the program adopted the name Programs to Educate All Cyclists, or PEAC and became an independent non-profit. Currently the organization is based in Ypsilanti but its reach impacts individuals with cognitive disabilities in Wayne, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Macomb Counties.

In 2010, PEAC expanded on its biking program to include a School Active Transportation Program to teach high school students with disabilities how to navigate their communities without having to obtain a car or relying on the assistance of friends or family. PEAC partnered with SMART to work with young people ages 14 to 26 on learning how to use a bus schedule, find a bus stop, manage time, and comfortably use the SMART Public Transit system to get where they wanted to go. "The goal was to teach about biking, bussing, and walking for independent factors," says Prinzing. "So a lot of students with disabilities can be independent, have jobs and have support in the community...relying on biking, bussing, and walking for independence." The skills young people with disabilities learn through this program enable them to find employment, seek higher education, and set and attain personal goals.

In 2017, PEAC expanded on its School Active Transportation Program by partnering with Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) to establish the Community Active Transportation Program for any adult with a cognitive disability. With the assistance of SMART, this program also known as the Explorers Program, goes beyond students only and helps older individuals with disabilities learn about using public transit, along with biking and walking to get where they want to go. In addition, the program teaches wayfinding skills to help participants navigate their communities and develop confidence in their newfound abilities. Both Active Transportation Programs are available only in counties in which SMART operates, Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb.

PEAC also offers a Bicycle Mechanic Program to allow individuals with disabilities an opportunity to develop a skill they can either use on their own bike or use to find employment. In addition, many who partake in PEAC's programs give back to their communities by volunteering at various events and organizations and make friendly connections in the process.

PEAC's Summer Cycling Program is now in the planning stages. The Summer Cycling Program runs seven weeks and is open to anyone 5 or older with or without a disability. Students will learn basic balance and how to handle a bike and the program wraps up with a celebratory end of summer ride. Instructors for this program come from backgrounds ranging from occupational therapy and special education and receive four days of training by PEAC's full-time staff, many of whom are League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructors.

Prinzing says PEAC's programs are all designed to get individuals with cognitive or physical disabilities to feel they are part of their greater community. "There are not many opportunities for integration within the world; it's a lot of specialized things for people with disabilities," she says. "Special Olympics are super great, special education programs are super great but they are insular, it's not being part of the community as much. So biking, bussing, walking, having things like that are inherently part of the community. Everything we do is very community-oriented and driven by what we can do together. "

To find out more about PEAC and its programs including the Summer Cycling Program, go to http://www.bikeprogram.org or see their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/everyonecanride/. You may also call 734-484-2758.