Volunteers needed to teach students with disabilities to ride bikes at summer camp

This summer, you can make a difference and have fun doing it, helping children with disabilities learn how to ride a bike.

Jaguars Kicker Josh Lambo is behind the push called iCan Bike.

Karen and Caleb Prewitt with the North Florida School of Special Education joined us on The Morning Show, along with Lambo.

“I have been fortunate enough to work with the school for a couple of years now, and once you go there, you don’t ever really want to leave,” Lambo said. “Any opportunity I get to hang out with the kiddos, they brighten my day… a lot more than I do theirs.”

Lambo explained that the NFL made a donation to the school in Lambo’s honor after he nominated for the Walter Payton man of the year award last year.

The iCan Bike program brings volunteers from the community to the school for two weeks of camp to teach the youngsters how to ride.

“We saw this as an opportunity to have our students be the best that they can be,” Karen Prewitt said. “And really what this camp does is, it teaches you how to ride a bike, but there is more to it. It works on self-esteem, all those things that come with being so proud of yourself for accomplishing something so amazing as riding a bike. We are still learning and it has been a year, but it has been an amazing journey.”

All the spots for students at the camp are full, but Lambo said they need 50 volunteers to commit 75 minutes a day to make the camp happen.

“We need people to step up and volunteer to allow these students to really flourish,” Lambo said. “You get invested in these kids’ lives, and you get to see them grow and see them flourish, and that’s more rewarding than any vacation I’ve ever been on.”

The next camp is June 21-25 at the North Florida School of Special Education’s gym.

Volunteers must be 15 years old or older, and they encourage teams to volunteer together.

For more information, go to https://www.northfloridaschool.org/get-involved/volunteers/.


About the Author:

Lifetime Jacksonville resident anchors the 8 and 9 a.m. weekday newscasts and is part of the News4Jax I-Team.