O'Hara, Ben Avon women giving Joy Rides to people with limited mobility

Eleven-year-old Hailey Tucker of Penn Hills has multiple disabilities that have rendered her unable to speak.

Still, there was no mistaking her excitement over recent bike rides at the Three Rivers Heritage Trail along Pittsburgh’s North Shore.

“She gets a great big smile on her face,” said Hailey’s mother, April. “You can just tell she is happy.”

The 45-minute rides are courtesy of a new program called Joy Riders Pittsburgh, started locally by O’Hara resident Margarita Halasowski and Ben Avon resident Dianne Stuckman. It is in partnership with the Veterans Leadership Program.

The pair provides free bike rides to anyone with limited mobility. On a specially rigged, $10,000 duet bike, they cruise along the Allegheny River and enjoy the scenery after launching from Millvale Riverfront Park.

“My goal was to get kids out there and take away their burdens for awhile,” said Halasowski, a resident of O’Hara for 29 years.

“The first person I got to take out was a child and she was just so happy. They turn around and lock eyes with you as if to say ‘Thank-you,’ and I feel like I’m getting more out of it than they are.”

April Tucker said Hailey’s nurse is able to ride along with the Joy Riders, which gives her an extra sense of calm.

“I wasn’t sure if they’d be OK with her issues; she has oxygen and tubes,” April said. “They send pictures along the way of how much fun she is having and it makes me feel good.”

A GoFundMe campaign helped Halasowski and Stuckman purchase their first bike to get the program rolling. The bike is part wheelchair, part electric, and is housed for free at the Three Rivers Rowing Boathouse.

The Joy Riders program began in Rostraver in 2018, along the Great Allegheny Passage. Another location opened in Greensburg this summer.

“A trained volunteer pilot does the legwork as the journey showcases the city’s skyline, rivers and stadiums,” Halasowki said.

The duo has recruited about a dozen eager volunteers in the few weeks since beginning the program. They each have clearances and have completed several hours of training.

“We’ve gotten a great response from passersby too,” Halasowski said. “They give us the thumbs up.”

Halasowski, an interior designer, grew up in southern California and took for granted the joy of riding a bike.

She and Stuckman first heard about the Joy Riders program in Rostraver and resolved to bring it closer to home, especially because of the beautiful North Shore trail.

“I took that for granted too,” Halasowski said. “Not everyone has been on that trail, and for some people with limited mobility it’s a really big deal to get out there.

“I worried at first, will I know if they are OK and if they are having fun? But it has been wonderful so far.”

To request a Joy Ride, email joyriderspgh@gmail.com.