Sun, wind and rain couldn’t stop riders who pedaled more than 180 miles this April from Charlotte to North Myrtle Beach in the annual Cycle to the Sea benefiting Atrium Health’s Adaptive Sports & Adventures Program (ASAP). Supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and ASAP staff, the group of able-bodied and disabled cyclists rode side by side to raise over $60,000 for one of the community’s most vital programs for youth and adults with physical challenges.
The Adaptive Sports and Adventures Program, which relies heavily on the support of events like Cycle to the Sea, is the very reason adaptive cyclists Brian Muscarella and Robbie Parks (pictured) train and participate in the event each year. Their fundraising, along with the support of many other teams and donors, allows them to give back to the very program that has transformed their lives after sustaining debilitating injuries. “Being involved with Carolinas Rehabilitation and ASAP, I have had the good fortune to meet hundreds of people through volunteer efforts and competition,” said Robbie. “Some of these relationships have positively shaped and changed the direction of my life in ways I would never have otherwise experienced.”