It's unfortunate that, as we age, certain activities we used to love are not always available. But you can officially keep bike rides on your list of things to do thanks to Cycling Without Age.
The genius idea was started in 2012 by Ole Kassow in Copenhagen, Denmark. Kassow really wanted to help seniors be able to ride their bikes but needed to think of a strategic way to go about that due to their limited mobility. He connected with Dorthe Pedersen, who worked as a civil society consultant for the city of Copenhagen. Together they launched Cycling Without Age by purchasing a few trishaws and using volunteers to do the actual biking work.
The program has since spread to over 40 countries around the world. Generosity and kindness are the foundation of their program since all of their "pilots" are volunteers who sign up to take elderly folks on free bike rides in their local community. At this point, over 29,000 volunteer pilots are helping elderly people around the world get some fresh air outside of their nursing homes and giving them the luxury of an activity they thought they had lost. As a volunteer, you can sign up for as many rides as you like. If you're already a passionate cyclist, why not volunteer some of your free time for a good cause?
The oldest pilot in CWA is currently Jørgen Hass, a 90 year old volunteer in Denmark. The oldest passengers are Madam Yeo Iu from Singapore, and Dagny Carlsson from Sweden, both 107.
There are over 1,600 chapter locations and counting! If you're interested in starting a Cycling Without Age chapter in your community, visit their website to learn more. Even if you're just one cycle pilot wanting to help take some local nursing home residents on trishaw rides, you could do a world of good by reaching out today!
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