Luke Staley, former BYU Running Back, is teaming up with the United Angels Foundation this week for a new program designed to help children with special needs learn to ride a 2-wheeled bicycle. The program, Ride 2 New Heights, is designed to help individuals with special needs gain confidence and independence by learning to ride.

“This is the first program of it’s kind here in Utah” says Luke Staley.

The program uses adaptive bicycles and a specialized instructional program to enable individuals with disabilities to learn to ride a two-wheel bicycle. Forty individuals with special needs or disabilities attend one 75 minute session each day for five consecutive days where they learn to ride while accompanied and encouraged by two volunteer “spotters”. Over the course of the week they continually adjust the bikes in an effort to challenge riders balance as they gradually discover the skill and joy of riding.

The event began yesterday and will run through the rest of the week.

United Angels Foundation supports parents and families of children with special needs. For more information about the foundations, visit www.unitedangelsfoundation.org or call 801-900-4125.