I had a great time riding in the Miracle Limbs-Courage in Motion Benefit Bike Ride in Naples, FL recently. As stated on their website:
Miracle Limbs-Courage in Motion, a Florida non-profit corporation is the vision of Bob Ayres, an above the knee amputee. This organization provides support to his fellow amputees so that they may more easily navigate the physical, psychological and financial hurdles that accompany the experience of losing a limb. Miracle Limbs answers a severe need not fully addressed in the non-profit community.
Our mission is to actively seek pre and post-surgery patients, providing them full and tailored support in the areas of professional and peer counseling, financial assistance when needed, local support group development, and referrals to credible and well-respected specialists and organizations to support their emotional and physical needs.
The benefit bike ride featured four different route options, 10, 30, 42, and 62 mile routes traversing the North end of Naples, FL. Like many charity rides, all of the routes were road courses and given that Naples is a popular destination for many during the winter months, traffic was present from the first mile to the last. However, because there were so any pedestrians walking and riding their bicycles, vehicle traffic was very respectful of the cyclist and gave everyone plenty of room when passing.
I had an opportunity to meet some amazing people, both amputee and none amputees, that came out to support Bob Ayres’ vision. I even had a great conversation with Bob about his organization and expressed to him that it would be great if an organization like Miracle Limbs existed in communities all over the state, not just in Collier County. Amputees don’t always get the support they need and many are left to fend for themselves for basic needs and Miracle Limbs is dedicated to bridging the gap between what amputees do receive and what they should receive in the way of support.
I was one of only three amputees in the ride out of almost 200 riders that were in attendance so it was nice to see the cycling community show up to raise money for such a worthy organization. And I must say that the after-ride meal was one of the best I have seen, with many of the local restaurants bringing out their best dishes to serve the riders. For more information, please visit their website at http://www.miraclelimbs.org.