Inaugural Cycle of Hope 3K Bike Ride fundraises for special needs
Social Entertainment Organization hosted the event to support organizations that advocate and assist those with special needs.
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – The non-profit Social Entertainment Organization hosted its inaugural Cycle of Hope 3K Bike Ride at Fairpark in Tupelo.
It brought the community together for family-friendly fun, benefiting a good cause.
Al Cannon, the Social Entertainment Organization’s head chairman, said he wants to be a representative for those with special needs.
“We represent those who have autism,” Cannon said. “We represent those who have downs. We represent those who have spinal bifida. And so, we chose to do a bike ride because where they can’t ride, we ride.”
The inaugural Cycle of Hope 3K Bike Ride just rolled into Downtown Tupelo.
The event is meant to raise money for organizations that advocate and assist those with special needs.
Jennifer Lindsey, the President of the Nu Sigma Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, said rallying support for the community is an opportunity she’ll never pass up.
“We got the opportunity to show our support for children with special needs, including my child,” Lindsey said. “That’s a topic that’s near and dear to a lot of people’s hearts in any way that we can rally and show that support we’re going to do that.”
Representatives with Family Wellness Outreach Center, Venson Richey and Quenton Harris, said these kinds of events are important for inclusion.
“So, they won’t feel excluded,” Richey said. “We want them to feel like they’re part of everything that we do.”
“Because I have special needs in my family,” Harris said. “We all do. They’re just like us, just a little bit different. We love them just like we love everybody else. We want to come to support them.”
Lindsey said having a child with special needs can feel lonely, but community support can warm the heart.
“My heart is full of just happiness and gratitude,” Lindsey said. “Because sometimes it’s easy to feel like you’re alone. And to see our community, all of the different organizations come together, for such a worthwhile cause. It just does my heart good.”
Lindsey said community organizations are to thank for where her family is today.
“We’ve been able to navigate this world that we were completely unfamiliar with and unprepared for,” Lindsey said. “My child has shown remarkable growth from all of the opportunities that have presented themselves through community organizations. I hope that this event, this won’t be the last one. And it will only grow and grow and become a regular occurrence.”
More than 1 in 4 people in the US have a disability according to the CDC.
