Inner wheel

Our August meeting was one of the many examples of how important our community is to families, young and old. Bruce Farley, known to many people in Greytown, spoke about the Lions Trishaw Project. Bruce was one of the first people my husband David and I met in Greytown when he erected our fence. It seems the berm is a great place to work and catch up with everybody. This was surely demonstrated by Bruce who seemed to know all the passers-by. He assured us he deducted these chats from his hours. Funnily enough, coming to our meeting was almost like another reunion as he acknowledged various members during his talk. Anyway, back to the Trishaw cycle.

For those not familiar with the concept the idea comes from the principle of Asian rickshaws, an E-tricycle built for three. This has been adapted to meet the requirements of Cycling Without Age, a movement started in 2012 by Ole Kassow. Ole wanted to help the elderly get back on their bicycles, but he had to find a solution to their limited mobility. The answer was a trishaw and he started offering free bike rides to the local nursing home residents in Denmark. The pilot “drives” it with two passengers in the front. It is equipped with harnesses, blankets and a canape. John Rhodes, the Lions Secretary and a committed cyclist, was determined to have one in Greytown to enhance the lives of elderly and/or disabled people. It will enable them to get out in the fresh air to smell the roses and “drive past the lollie shop”. (My husband David would have to stop and buy a selection!) People can enjoy getting out without being in a wheelchair. “It is new and fresh”, he added. 

The estimated cost of around $16,000 has now been reached but additional funds are needed for maintenance, safety helmets, T-shirts, etc. Local organisations such as RSA have been very generous and this is acknowledged by RSA using it exclusively to enable some of their members to participate in the commemoration. The riders or “pilots” will be volunteers and the trishaw is to be owned by the Lions Charitable Trust.

Initially Bruce had been concerned for health and safety reasons, such as traffic and the state of some footpaths, but with strong backing from Arbor House and Noel Hamilton House the Lions went ahead. For safety reasons the trishaw is not to be used in Main Street on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays. It is expected to arrive in Greytown from Denmark at the beginning of October. Thanking you in anticipation, Lions Club!

Anne Hayden (Editor and Immediate Past President)