08/01/2026
Helping Children Gain Confidence, Independence, and Joy Through Bike Camp. 🚲
Sun in the sky, wind in your hair – we all remember the magic of our first bike ride! This summer, ChildServe's Bike Camp once again gave children with special healthcare needs the opportunity to experience a milestone many families cherish: the freedom of riding a bicycle.
From June 8 - 12, 2026, children of all abilities gathered at the Coralville Youth Sports Complex to learn and strengthen their bike-riding skills with the support of ChildServe therapists, trained staff and dedicated volunteers. Through individualized instruction, encouragement, and adaptive techniques, participants built confidence while developing balance, coordination, strength and independence.
4-year-old Ezio has spina bifida and has been receiving services from ChildServe since he was 12 weeks old. Currently, he participates in ChildServe's Physical Therapy and Speech Therapy programs. Ezio attends Bike Camp to build lower-extremity strength and coordination while riding an adaptive tricycle. Beyond the physical benefits, Bike Camp provides something equally important: the opportunity to participate in fun, inclusive play alongside siblings, friends and neighborhood peers.
Riding gives Ezio a way to keep up with those around him and experience the same childhood adventures as other children his age.
“Bike Camp is about much more than learning to ride a bike,” Ansley DeVrieze PT, DPT, ATP said. “For children like Ezio, it creates opportunities to participate alongside friends and siblings, build independence, and gain confidence. Every time he gets on his bike, you can see how proud he is of what he's accomplished.”
“Riding a bike brings Ezio so much joy and makes him feel like his peers and siblings,” Shannon, Ezio’s mom, said. “He was excited to go to camp each day, and it was even more special because he had Ansley to help him. He has an amazing bond with her, and she’s been a huge part of his journey. She is always pushing him to the next level.”
Bike Camp creates a supportive environment where every child can work toward their goals at their own pace while celebrating each achievement along the way. Through programs like Bike Camp, ChildServe helps children discover what is possible, empowering them to build skills, gain confidence, and experience the joy of reaching milestones that once seemed out of reach.
A special thank you to Scheels Coralville for their generous sponsorship of ChildServe's Bike Camp, as well as our event partners Keith Hemann (Hawkeye Weld & Repair), the City of Coralville, World of Bikes, and interns from Kirkwood Community College for helping to make Bike Camp possible.
Images: Ezio enjoying Bike Camp.
