For immediate release - July 15, 2021
Press contact: Jessica VanGinhoven, (616) 994-4716

MEDIA ADVISORY - SPECIAL EVENT

Spokes Fighting Strokes on the Grand River Greenway

Date and time: July 25, 1-3 pm - rain date 7/27

Location: Connor Bayou, 12945 N Cedar Dr, Grand Haven, MI 49417

Join us for a dose of inspiration and a trike ride! Dan Zimmerman will share how he’s changing lives across the nation with recumbent trikes. Followed by our speakers, local stroke survivors can test out a trike. We’ll wrap up the day with a social ride along the Idema Explorers Trail. This event is free; light refreshments will be served.

DOOR PRIZE - A generous individual has donated a TerraTrike to giveaway at the event!

1 pm • Speaker & Trike Test - Dan Zimmerman, Spokes Fighting Strokes

Dan will assist stroke survivors and attendees with physical or balance limitations to experience riding a recumbent trike. Text Dan to pre-arrange a ride: (602) 558-0820

Dan Zimmerman suffers from Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telanglectasia, a disease in which the lungs fail to filter clots efficiently. At the age of 41, the disease caused a stroke that damaged the left side of his brain, paralyzing his right arm and leg. Doctors told him he would never walk or talk again. After intensive rehabilitation, Dan was barely walking within a year, but severe aphasia kept him from talking. He continued to receive outpatient therapy at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital. Dan found freedom when he bought his first trike and four years later founded Spokes Fighting Strokes with a mission to reach every stroke survivor and show them that recovery is possible!

2 pm • Social Ride with Betsy Cech, Michigan Recumbent Trikes

Meet at 12945 N Cedar Dr, Grand Haven

Leaders from the Michigan Recumbent Trike group will be offering two rides on local bike paths:

1. 8 miles (approx) out & back on the Idema Explorers Trail to Riverside Park
2. 10 miles (approx) out & back on the Idema Explorers Trail and the Spoonville Trail to Nunica

If a short and sweet ride sound better to you, there are plenty of spots to turn around along the way.

Thank you to our event partners: Ottawa County Parks Foundation, Poplar Ridge Partners, Angletech, Grand Haven Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Recumbent Trikes, West Michigan Bike & Fitness

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Healing and hope on the trail

Spending time outdoors and in nature has important physical and mental health benefits, but for avid-outdoor enthusiast and West Michigan-area native, John Zevalkink, the outdoors was not only healing, but life changing.

John had long enjoyed outdoor activities like biking, boating, swimming, and skiing but all that changed when he suffered a stroke on October 4, 2016 and it left him with paralysis on his left side.

Click here to read the rest of John's story about using trails to recover and why he supports the Ottawa County Parks Foundation's Grand River Greenway Campaign.