Annual Spin Your Wheels fundraiser moves to new location with same charitable goal

Jennifer Evashavik hopes more people answer the call of the late Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and Queen front man Freddie Mercury: “Get on your bikes and ride.”

The ninth annual Spin Your Wheels fundraiser is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27 at the Lauri Ann West Community Center, 1220 Powers Run Road in Fox Chapel.

The charity event centered around fitness includes several spin classes, yoga, kickboxing, pilates, zumba and more.

Spin classes are $50 each. Other classes are $30 each. All classes are 45 minutes.

Proceeds benefit Riding for the Handicapped of Western PA, a group that works to assist disabled children through therapeutic horseback riding.

The event organizer shared her excitement a little less than two weeks out.

“I’m feeling great right now,” said Evashavik on April 16. “Registration numbers are up from last year at this time. People seem really excited about it. We’re really excited to get it going and have a great day. You don’t have to be an avid exerciser to be here. We can accommodate beginners and avid exercisers alike.”

There will be a free sensory-friendly adapted yoga class. Other activities include basket raffles and a wellness retreat area complete with massage therapists, chiropractors, licensed psychologists and cosmetology students from A.W. Beattie Career Center.

IV Center will provide B12 shots and a giveaway. Fleet Feet will do 3D foot scans to help people go shoe shopping. Various food and drink vendors also signed up to participate.

The riding program has a special place in Evashavik’s heart.

Her son, Luke, 21, has taken part in it for more than a decade. He is nonverbal autistic and has cerebral palsy.

“He loves it,” Evashavik said. “It’s hard for us to get him out of the house. When he knows he’s going to horseback riding, he doesn’t hesitate to get up in the car and go. You can tell he gets a lot out of it.”

Riding program

Riding for the Handicapped Western PA helps at least 75 families a year. It was founded in 1979 by physical therapist Maria Kyne, who was inspired by Olympic equestrian Lis Hartel. Hartel revealed that exercise with a horse helped her to heal following polio, according to the organization’s website.

There are 11 therapy horses at the Parkview Riding Stables just outside North Park. It added two within the past year or so.

Director T.M. Abbott said participants ride the horses through courses, use various toys and navigate obstacles. Rides are about 45 minutes and are weekly for first-year families.

About 80% of riders are children with autism or some other disability. Families come from all over Allegheny, Beaver and Butler counties.

The program is offered from the end of May until the end of October. There’s a waiting list of at least two years.

“This is therapy,” Abbott said. “Our instructors are certified. They make sure the rider’s position is right, saddles are right. The kids learn to steer the horse. The horse does a lot of physical therapy. (Horses) have to be specially trained and have to have perfect disposition.”

Volunteers are wanted. They must be at least 14 and able to walk for 45 minutes at a minimum. For details about the program, call 724-443-4485.

Abbott plans to attend Spin Your Wheels.

She said she was able to acquire a shed and equipment, as well as cover animal care and new footing for the area as a result of Evashavik’s fundraising efforts.

“I hope people join in and participate,” Abbott said. “Jen and her group do a wonderful job.”

Spinning elsewhere

The event took place last year at the Allegheny RiverTrail Park in Aspinwall.

Evashavik, a personal trainer and instructor at the community center, said Spin Your Wheels was moved largely because the O’Hara cycling business that provided the bikes has closed.

Spin classes at the time were limited to 10 people each. The center has more bikes and space — opening the classes to 23 people.

“We’ll miss being on the river and doing a lot of the classes outside, but it’s actually a real good thing (we moved),” Evashavik said. “We had no problems with the park. We didn’t leave on a bad note or anything.”

About 125 people participated last year and raised $20,045.

Evashavik said she expects more participants this time and believes they can exceed the $20,000 goal.

Sponsors include Towne Drugs Pharmacy, Sip Taproom, the law offices of Lisa Standish, The John G. And Katherine P. Lovelace Foundation, Curbside on the Run, Aliner, AES Drilling Fluids, Kieffer Optical and Barbara and Rey Gannon.

More information is available on the event’s Facebook page or by emailing spinyourwheelspittsburgh@gmail.com.