Their program continuing to grow, be well supported, and now in good hands, Lauren Lypchuk and Ward Strong can feel relaxed at their new home on Vancouver Island.
The husband-wife duo, who co-founded Cycling Without Age (CWA) in Greater Vernon for seniors and shut-ins in 2018, moved to the Comox Valley in November.
"It has been such an honour bringing CWA to Vernon-Coldstream and an incredible journey witnessing the difference the trishaw rides make in our passengers lives – mostly the elderly in our community – who otherwise would never have the opportunity to visit the places the CWA volunteers take them on their rides," said Lypchuk.
She and Strong rolled out the first trishaw (three-wheel bike with passenger seating for two up front and a pilot at the rear) in 2019 and added two more to their fleet. The idea is to give those with mobility challenges a chance to get some fresh air and enjoy a lengthy bike ride, which includes jaunts down the Okanagan Rail Trail or throughout the city of Vernon.
After another successful year in 2024, Cycling Without Age has taken 1,952 seniors for free rides covering 11,829 kilometres on the program's trio of three-wheeled bicycles.
"We have passengers cry when riding down the Okanagan Rail Trail for the first time; also, at times, it is the first outdoor experience they have had in one-to-two years," said Lypchuk.
"Many passengers believed they would never see this beautiful 'trail' along the magnificent Kalamalka Lake despite often donating to its development and there they are experiencing it first hand on a CWA trishaw bike with the wonderful volunteer CWA pilots. We have had passengers in hospice have their last outing with family members joining in.
"The CWA pilots often tell me that volunteering with CWA giving these free rides or assisting in other ways is even better than I said it would be."
The pilots are the volunteers who operate the trishaw. And it's veteran pilot Erin Burgess who will be taking over the program in February.
Burgess has been a volunteer with the program since its inception in 2019. She's been a volunteer pilot, trishaw trainer, has assisted Lypchuk and Strong for several years in meeting many of the folk at the 13 senior residences the program works with, and set up COVID protocols when the program re-started in 2022.
"Erin has extensive experience as a volunteer in other programs as well," said Lypchuk. "I'm really excited about the program going forward with Erin at the helm. The program is in excellent hands."
Burgess will have help from 12-to-13 other volunteers who are stepping up in various ways (i.e. in assisting her directly, trishaw repair team, scheduling team, website development). Lypchuk and Strong will continue to support Burgess and the program from the Island.
The program currently operates with 40 – 45 volunteers (including a few newbies), and Lypchuk added Cycling Without Age is financially viable for several more years.
CWA is always looking for new volunteers, who can email cyclingwithoutage.vernon.bc@gmail.com As of Feb. 23, mail can be addressed to Burgess.
The 2025 Cycling Without Age program is slated to start in May.