R5 – PARA Paralympic Tandem Race Team Raises Money for CABVI Youth Programs Utica, NY – The Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI) is the proud recipient of funds raised during an R5-PARA Paralympic Tandem bike lap in South Carolina. Reuben Howden and Chester Triplett are part of R5-PARA; a nationally ranked tandem cycling team which pairs visually impaired cyclists with those with a non-limited range of eyesight. Triplett is a 35 year old Army veteran who began losing his central vision due to Stargardts disease while serving on active duty. He began racing in the Paralympic cycling division in 2010. Triplett met Tiffany Mitrakos of CABVI during training in Colorado and was excited at the opportunity to help our organization. Howden is a 44 year old Professor at UNC Charlotte and is the driver for the duo. He has been a competitive cyclist since the 1980s and has extensive solo and tandem racing experience on the road and track. Together, these two dynamic individuals decided to dedicate one of their tandem race lap challenges to the youth programs at CABVI. The lap challenge, held at the at the Giordana Velodrome in South Carolina, raised more than $800 to help support kids ages 8-18 who are blind or visually impaired (BVI) in Central New York. “I am very fortunate to have had a lot of support over the years,” said Triplett. “I cannot emphasize enough how effective all of the mechanisms were, ranging from the Veteran’s Blind Rehabilitation Center in Birmingham, AL, to teammate’s I raced and trained with on tandem in the Paralympic cycling division. Other professionals such as Tiffany Mitrakos, a Teacher of the Visually Impaired from CABVI, had an impact as well. It’s passion like Tiffany’s, for working with BVI people and Veteran’s, that inspired me to work together with my R5-PARA teammate, Reuben, and my Coach, Sarah Matchett, to raise money and support CABVI’s mission - keeping BVI people like me, in the fight.” “The money donated will be used to fund bicycling equipment to keep our youth active and show them there are no barriers to what they can accomplish physically, even with limited sight,” said Kathy Beaver, CABVI’s VP of Rehabilitation Services. “Our goal is to have our rehabilitation team ride tandem with The Ride for Mission Children this year.” Beaver continued, “Youth who are blind or visually impaired are one of our most vulnerable populations. Through the Ride for Missing children we will emphasize good health and wellness habits while teaching our kids about the dangers of abduction. The Ride will be a real learning tool for them, and we couldn’t be more grateful to the R5-PARA Team for helping to fund our equipment. It is because of donations like this that we are able to keep expanding and improving our programs.” To donate to CABVI’s youth programs please visit cabvi.org or call Mary Fletcher, Development and Public Relations Specialist at (315) 797-2233.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 21:41:47 +0000