Foundation puts different spin on bikes

The wind whipping through your hair. The blur of bushes and mailboxes as you rush past. The freedom of movement and exhilaration.

It’s something anyone who rides bicycles might take for granted. But it’s a new and breathtaking experience for the few children with disabilities in Baton Rouge lucky enough at Christmas to be given bicycles specially designed to fit their physical and motor-skill needs.

Thanks to a local commercial construction firm and its family foundation, more of these children are receiving this gift of freedom.

Andrew McLindon, a native of Baton Rouge and an LSU graduate, owns Mainspring Companies. But he’s most proud of its non-profit McLindon Family Foundation and the Bikes for Christmas Program.

McLindon and his six siblings have successful lives, so they created the foundation four years ago to give back to the community. A common family interest is bike riding, so it was a natural fit for them. They order the special bikes from companies as far away as Germany, and family members assemble them in home garages and work warehouses.

At one such warehouse, McLindon happily spreads out his tools to work on a large blue tricycle. He enjoys adding a bolt here and a part there and creating the bikes. He also enjoys creating joy for these children, who have spina bifida or multiple sclerosis or have suffered strokes following heart transplants.

“I get really excited just hearing about a child’s eyes lighting up when he discovers this special present from Santa,” McLindon says. “Families send so many photos and emails that week and long after of the kids enjoying their bikes. It makes me smile.

“Unexpectedly, this year, three of the kids have started competing in triathlons. I didn’t expect that, and I’m just ecstatic about it,” McLindon says. “There are triathletes in our family. It gives the kids a whole new level of confidence they take into other aspects of their lives, too.”

Katie LeBlanc is one such competitive recipient of a bike from the McLindons. The 14-year-old received a bike, which features hand pedals, two Christmases ago. She went from being fairly sedentary to competing in triathlons. “She has really bulked up in the past year,” says mom Nancy LeBlanc. “Her upper-body strength is so evident now.”

Despite her spina bifida, Katie whizzes down her street on a sunny orange bike, pedaling with her hands in tandem. When she stops to grab a swig of water, she’s barely sweating. Such training prepared her for the RocketKidz Triathlon and the Wheels to Succeed races.

“I never thought I would be doing triathlons,” she says, “just because of my physical limitations. Since I’ve gotten the bike, I have more confidence. Next, I want to do wheelchair tennis. I always knew there was an athlete in me.”

Starting with just a few bikes the first year to a goal of up to 20 this year, the family has been footing the bills for the bikes, which can cost up to $2,500 each. As they’ve expanded, the program has established a tax-exempt status to allow for other donations. The money is spent only on modified bicycles.

“What I’ve learned over the past few years is insurance doesn’t cover these bikes, and many families don’t have the budget to provide them or have access to them,” McLindon says.

Each bike is accessorized for individual needs based on consultations with the child’s physical therapist. Lauren Hoffmann, a physical therapist at McMains Children’s Developmental Center, works with several children who have received McLindon bikes.

“This is exciting because there’s definitely a need for this service. Not only do these children have physical disabilities, but obesity also can be a problem sometimes. The bikes promote physical activity and allow them to be more socially active, too,” Hoffmann says.

McMains and Wheels to Succeed also provide adapted bikes for children.

Jamie Tindle is the executive director of Families Helping Families of Greater Baton Rouge, a nonprofit for those with disabilities and their families. She’s also the mother of Alex Tindle, a 16-year-old with multiple disabilities. Tindle is working closely with the McLindon Foundation by helping Andrew McLindon network with therapists and identify recipients. In addition, Alex received a bike in 2009 from the Foundation.

“It was freezing cold that Christmas morning, so we bundled him up for a short but awesome first ride,” Tindle says. “For a parent, whether your child has disabilities or not, when you see him having so much fun and laughing with his friends, there’s nothing that compares.”

For more information about the McLindon Family Foundation and its Bikes for Christmas Program or to make a donation, contact Andrew McLindon at 413-8126 or [email protected].