Community, Connection, and Impact
For 50 years, ADEC’s Ride A Bike has brought people together for a day of fun, community, and support for the individuals we serve. This year’s celebration was especially meaningful, with beautiful weather, smiling faces, and our best turnout since the pandemic!
But this year’s celebration was about more than marking 50 years of Ride A Bike. It was an opportunity to see what can happen when a community comes together to support a shared mission.
A Day of Fun and Friends
With so many activities to enjoy, there was something for everyone at this year’s Ride A Bike!
Participants and community members enjoyed the bike ride, visited food trucks, played cornhole, and explored the many activity tents throughout the grounds. From inflatables and oversized Connect 4 to bucket toss and football toss games, there were plenty of ways to get in on the fun. Guests could also enjoy face painting and caricature art, creating opportunities to try something new and spend time with friends and family.
This year also introduced something new to the Ride A Bike experience: Pedal Portals! Local businesses volunteered their time and creativity to bring these activities to life. THOR Industries Inc., Froggy 102.7, and Old National used their Pedal Portal space to decorate and staff a themed, lively station, where riders experienced a high-energy portal designed to cheer them on.
While the activities and community connections made this year’s event memorable, one of the biggest highlights was the incredible support behind our fundraising efforts. Our goal for the 50th Anniversary of Ride A Bike was to raise $100,000. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, participants, volunteers, local businesses, and community members, we raised just over $122,000!
Surpassing our goal is an accomplishment worth celebrating. These funds go directly toward ADEC’s programs and help us continue our mission of empowering people with disabilities to live fulfilled lives in their communities.
“We are thrilled to have surpassed our fundraising goal during Ride-a-Bike’s 50th anniversary,” says Courtney Smith, Director of Community Engagement at ADEC. “This incredible milestone reflects the generosity of our sponsors, participants, and community partners. We look forward to seeing the continued growth of this historic community event for years to come.”
Every contribution, registration, volunteer hour, partnership, sponsor, and show of support helped make this achievement possible.
We are grateful to everyone who played a part in reaching this milestone and supporting the individuals we serve.
Here’s to the Next 50 Years
For 50 years, Ride A Bike has created opportunities for our community to connect, make memories, and support the individuals we serve. While the event may look a little different from year to year, its purpose remains the same: bringing people together to make a difference.
What makes this tradition so meaningful is the people behind it. Every participant, volunteer, sponsor, and community partner plays a part in making Ride A Bike what it is today. Their continued support helps ADEC create opportunities for the individuals we serve to grow, connect, and live fulfilled lives in their communities.
We are incredibly thankful to everyone who helped make this year’s celebration possible. As we look ahead, we are excited to continue this tradition and see the memories and opportunities the next 50 years will bring!
Thank you again to all of our Ride A Bike Sponsors!
Presenting Sponsor: Welch Packaging
Champion Sponsors: Froggy 102.7, THOR Industries Inc.
Lead Sponsors: NIBCO, 1st Source Bank, Lippert, Welter Foundation
Partner Sponsors: Brian & Lauri Smith, Grand Design, B100, Community Foundation of Elkhart County, DJ Construction
Friend Sponsor: Stacey & Terry Rodino
Ambassador Sponsor: USI Insurance
Rider Sponsors: Hotel Elkhart, All Things Snacks, Eco Wise, Town of Bristol, Chick-fil-A Elkhart, Hardings Market, Meijer, South Bend Bike Garage, Wellfield Gardens, Goshen Health, Hawkings Water Tech, Vanilla Bean Creamery, Epic Dance, Erik Troth, and Lawn Care Connections.
Written by Lauren Srmek, Communications Specialist
