2021 Wheels to Succeed bike ride
Each Spring, Alvarez Construction Company carries on the charitable work of its founder by sponsoring the No Such Thing As Impossible Bike Ride that benefits children with physical disabilities. All proceeds from registration and additional donations benefitted the Wheels to Succeed program and the McMains Children’s Developmental Center in Baton Rouge, which work to provide children with adapted bicycles.
This year’s 13th annual ride was held on Sunday, May 16 at Pointe-Marie in Baton Rouge with 104 enthusiastic participants and raised a record $61,196 for the organization. Two more children were also awarded bikes at the event.
“I am truly blessed to help the kids at McMains. This year's event raised over 60k and we now have over 180 special adaptive bikes in the community. I thank the entire community for your help in furthering our mission that every child should have the opportunity to ride a bike despite any physical or mental needs! Thank you Baton Rouge!” - Sebastian Alvarez
The No Such Thing As Impossible Bike Ride takes its name from Jairo Alvarez’s award-winning autobiography “No Such Thing as Impossible: From Adversity to Triumph.” Jairo was the founder of Alvarez Construction Company which is now run by his three children Carlos, Sebastian and Ana. As an avid cyclist, Jairo wanted all children to experience the joy, independence and benefits of riding a bike. That included children with physical disabilities. This dream led him to his partnership with McMains and the Wheels to Succeed program.
Ashley Leach, a cycling enthusiast and physical therapist, is the founder of the Wheels to Succeed program. She was using specially equipped bikes as a physical therapy method at McMains when she came up with the idea to help provide opportunities for her patients to continue their work at home. Since its inception, the program has provided more than 175 adapted bicycles that are often too expensive for families to purchase on their own. Adapted bicycles often feature a third wheel that is more accessible for children with disabilities.
Jairo’s son Sebastian now serves as a member of the board for McMains Children's Development Center and spearheads the event in honor of his father who passed away after a long battle with cancer. Although the event happens once a year, there is still time to donate and support this important local organization here.
In a note from Jairo read by Sebastian, he says “The smiles and joy that you see in the children of McMains today -- the smiles and joy you have helped create -- and the happiness and gratitude of their parents, will last in our hearts and minds forever.”
As a local homebuilder, Alvarez Construction Company feels a strong connection to the Baton Rouge community and enjoys using its resources to give back. To learn more about community outreach efforts, call (225) 240-4662 or contact us.
