Tag: El Dorado Hills

INVITED TO SWIM, BIKE, RUN AND ROLL FOR THE FIFTH ANNUAL TRIATHLON FOR KIDS OF ALL ABILITIES HAPPENING IN EL DORADO HILLS. JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE EVENT IS HOLLY REININGER. SHE’S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WALK WITH AUSTIN. IT’S A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. HOLLY, GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. OF COURSE. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. AND WE KNOW YOUR GROUP’S MISSION IS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUN AND INCLUSION FOR KIDS OF ALL ABILITIES. HOW DOES THE EVENT TOMORROW HELP DO THAT? WELL, KIDS WITH DISABILITIES DON’T OFTEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A LARGE COMMUNITY EVENT LIKE THIS. WE MIGHT HAVE LIKE OUR OWN THING KIND OF SET OFF TO THE SIDE CHALLENGE OR BASEBALL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT THIS MAKES KIDS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE STAR OF THE SHOW. IN A LARGE, COMMUNITY WIDE EVENT, AND WE DID IT ON PURPOSE BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES OUR KIDS ARE STUCK ON THE SIDELINES CHEERING FOR SIBLINGS OR OTHER PARENTS DOING A MARATHON OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND SO WE REALLY THOUGHT OF A WAY TO MAKE THEM THE STAR OF THE FAMILY FOR THE DAY. EVERYONE MAKES MATCHING T SHIRTS, AND IT’S JUST AN EXCITING WAY FOR THEM TO EXPERIENCE WHAT IT’S LIKE TO DO SOMETHING REALLY HARD PHYSICALLY AND BE PROUD OF YOURSELF WITH EVERYBODY CHEERING YOU ON. I LOVE THAT, AND SO WE SEE THE NAME. IT’S TRY, TRY ATHLON TRIATHLON. DESCRIBE WHAT THAT IS. BECAUSE TYPICALLY WHEN WE HEAR TRIATHLON WE’RE TALKING ABOUT TRIATHLON, RIGHT? CORRECT. EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE. YEAH. SO A TRIATHLON IS THE BIKE THE SWIM AND THE RUN. AND SO WE’RE DOING THE SAME THING. BUT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THESE KIDS MIGHT HAVE TO USE SOME ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT OR SOME COACHING ASSISTANCE. SO WE CALLED IT THE TRIATHLON BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT EVERY KID TO TRY IT AND TO NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THE PROCESS. SOME OF OUR KIDS CHOOSE NOT TO EVEN SWIM. THEY’LL DO THE BIKE LAP TWICE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND WE JUST WANT IT TO BE COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZABLE FOR EVERY KID SO THAT THEY CAN EXPERIENCE IT. AND WHO’S THERE AND WHO’S THERE TO SUPPORT THE PARTICIPANTS? WELL, WE HAVE ABOUT 144 VOLUNTEERS SIGNED UP FOR TOMORROW AND 40 KIDS, SO THEY WILL BE WELL SUPPORTED. WE WE PUT ON A BIG FINISHER PARTY AT THE END. WE HAVE BOYS TEAM CHARITY AND NATIONAL CHARITY LEAGUE DOING CARNIVAL TYPE GAMES. WE HAVE, I THINK, 15 SPONSORS COMING TO BRING ACTIVITY BOOTHS AND GET THEIR NAME OUT THERE AND GIVE AWAY LITTLE PRIZES AND STUFF. IT’S JUST A IT’S A FULL MORNING, SO THEY GET TO DO THE TRIATHLON AND THAT’S EXCITING. BUT THEN AFTERWARD WE REALLY WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT, LIKE EVERYONE IS HERE FOR THEM TO CELEBRATE, TO MAKE IT AS EXCITING AS POSSIBLE, WE HAVE SHERIFF’S OFFICE COMING OUT AND FIRE AND THE RANCH THAT WILL BRING ANIMALS TO SHARE. SO IT’S IT’S A LOT OF FUN. I LOVE THAT, AND THIS IS THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE EVENT. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST PART FOR THE FAMILIES? I THINK THE BEST PART IS JUST KNOWING THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING. YOU’RE AMONG PEERS. NOT EVERYBODY’S DISABILITY LOOKS THE SAME, OF COURSE, BUT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT THEY KNOW THAT EVERYBODY’S KIND OF GOT THE SAME THING GOING ON IN LIFE. THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING THAT MAY BE GOING ON IN THEIR FAMILY, WHETHER THAT’S PHYSICALLY OR BEHAVIORS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AND EVEN THE ALL VOLUNTEERS ARE HERE, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO LOVE ON THESE FAMILIES, BUT THEY’VE ALSO BEEN PREPPED TO KNOW, LIKE WE’RE CALLING THEM ATHLETES. WE’RE CALLING THE FAMILIES COACHES, LIKE THEY GET TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FOR THE DAY. GOT YOU. HOLLY, THANKS SO MUCH. AND REALLY QUICKLY. IS THERE STILL TIME TO REGISTER? CAN OTHER FAMILIES? THERE IS STILL TIME TO REGISTER. WE HAVE SPACE FOR ABOUT FIVE MORE KIDS IF THEY’RE INTERESTED IN JOINING. AND OF COURSE, WE CAN TAKE AS MANY CHEERLEADERS AS WANT TO COME. ALL RIGHT, I LOVE IT. HOLLY. THANK YOU. AND WE DO HAVE SOME INFORMATION ON THE SCREEN FOR OUR VIEWERS. THE FIFTH ANNUAL TRIATHLON HAPPENS TOMORROW FROM NINE TO NOON AT EL DORADO HILLS COMMUNITY PARK. EVERYONE IS WELCOME. JUST TAKE ANY EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR PARTICIPANTS TO FINISH THE RACE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN GO TO WAL