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Great Tryke Giveaway

LATLC funds and presents between 15 and 20 bikes to special needs children and adults each year.

History

In 2016, LATLC welcomed a new Partner Charity, SoCal Trykers, a local chapter of AMBUCS, Inc. a group that inspires those with special needs to conquer challenges related to mobility and independence.

SoCal Trykers was founded by a group of physical therapists and helps disabled children in the area acquire adapted tricycles. These “trykes” are customized to each child’s particular needs and enables them to leave their wheelchairs and ride with friends and family, many for the very first time.

Bicycles can run up to $1,000 each – a price most of the families cannot afford.

In January 2017, LATLC purchased and presented three customized bikes at an event at Cal State University Long Beach. The event was attended by past presidents Minh Nguyen, Aimee Kirby and Joe Barrett, 2020 President Alyssa Schabloski and other volunteers. The impact on everyone who participated that day was extraordinary as children rode around the gymnasium to cheers from their friends and family.

SoCal Trykers came to LATLC in late summer to see if we wanted to help build, as well as present, another three new bicycles. The answer was simple: three bikes are not enough! So, Nguyen asked other law firms to join LATLC in funding additional bicycles.

Great Tryke Giveaway

There was so much support, LATLC and SoCal Trykers brought in Red Star Riders, another AMBUCS non-profit that received an LATLC grant earlier in the year, for more children to be fitted for the bikes.

The “Great Tryke Giveaway” was born!

On October 28, 2017, LATLC built and presented THIRTY customized tricycles to the excited children and their families. The event coincided with Beach Street, a day-long party where Long Beach areas are closed off to cars, showcasing bike riding, local businesses and entertainment. Tents were set up in front of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association and 32 volunteers spent hours assembling the customized bikes!

Since that time, LATLC has held annual “Great Tryke Giveaways.” Although we no longer build the bikes, LATLC funds and presents between 15 and 20 bikes to special needs children and adults each year. Volunteers join with the Long Beach Beauties –a squad of special needs cheerleaders LATLC has supported since 2018 –to congratulate and encourage the new riders.

This heartwarming family event has become a highlight of each year.

LATLC Partners with OCTLC

In 2021, the newly formed Orange County Trial Lawyers’ Charities (OCTLC) began an annual partnership with LATLC, purchasing bikes for local children. Each year, while all of the children are getting their final adjustments to the adaptive tricycles, volunteers fill 1,000 toiletry kits for the unhoused in southern California. Half of the kits go to Colette’s Children’s Home for women and children in Orange County and the other half to LATLC’s Day of Dignity and organizations like Power of a Shower.

The Impact

To date, LATLC and OCTLC have purchased 116 adaptive tricycles for children with physical and developmental disabilities in southern California!

“How wonderful it is to see [Evangeline]… finally be able to cycle along with her sisters after all these years of missing out! What a joy it is for us, her parents, to get to see the smile on her face when she is ‘behind the wheel!’ Thank you again, for the gifts of joy and happiness that you have helped to provide, is truly priceless.”

“Hi! I just wanted to send a quick email and say thank you for the bike for our son Malachi. The timing was amazing and God’s blessing for sure. With school out we have been able to do laps at our park every morning! He is probably never had this much exercise! It is possible from your bike! Thank you so much!!!”

“My Husband and I wanted to send a warm Thank you for the generosity of SoCal Trykers and LATLC. We are very thankful and appreciative of the opportunity and the Tryke that was given to Jaylen this past weekend. He loves to ride in his Tryke. He thinks that the pedals are just a suggestion and no need to use them, but he is getting the hang of them. Thank you very much.”

Here is a short film about one of the new Riders. (LATLC From the Heart – Aryn Harty). Thank you to Verdict Videos for telling this story.

Photos, Press, and Media

Be sure to check out our photos from past Giveaways:

Television stations (KCBS, KCAL, KABC, and KTTV), the Long Beach Press Telegram, and The Grunion Gazette have covered the event: