Rotary Club of Clemson continues funding of adaptive bicycles in Pickens County schools

CLEMSON, S.C. — On March 24, the Rotary Club of Clemson funded and placed two additional adaptive bicycles for students with special needs in the School District of Pickens County (SDPC) under the Pedals Possible initiative, moving closer to the district’s overall goal of deploying 30 adaptive bicycles in its special needs program.

Pedals Possible, founded by Chad Catledge, a Rotarian with the Lancaster Breakfast Rotary, and Stephen Houston, a cycling enthusiast who founded Heather’s Ride, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making adaptive bicycles available to all with special needs, is designed to fund and place adaptive bicycles in public schools’ special education programs. Pedals Possible gives special needs children the joy of riding a bike.

The joy on their faces is proof of this program’s effectiveness. Catledge and Houston have also partnered with researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina to study the effects of incorporating bikes in special needs education programs. Thus far, the study results have proven that the addition of bikes improves learning outcomes in these programs.

In 2024, the Rotary Clubs of Pickens County, including Clemson, Clemson Sunrise and Easley, formed a partnership to fund and place adaptive bicycles in local schools. After discussing the project with school district officials, it was determined that 30 adaptive bicycles were needed.

Since then, the Pickens County Rotary Club partnership has placed four bicycles in SDPC schools, including one at Liberty Middle School and, most recently, at Liberty High School. The partnership anticipates delivering a fifth bike this year before school begins again in August. SDPC officials have secured a grant to fund another seven bikes, bringing the total number of bikes deployed to 12, almost halfway to the goal of 30 bikes. The Rotary Clubs of Clemson and Clemson Sunrise have raised over $12,000 to fund this initiative.

“Our club believes this is a critical project that supports and allows all children in the district to participate and be successful at school,” Rotary Club of Clemson President Mike Nebesky said. “We’re proud to support Pedals Possible and help our local students.”

This article was a special submission by the Pickens County Rotary Club.