Four years later, ‘Special Pedals’ continues to give adults with disabilities functional jobs

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Four years ago, Leah Sherrill started “Special Pedals, Inc” to give better job opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities and, today, the non-profit is still accomplishing that mission and more.

“Four years ago, I was working as a service provider for individuals in the community and I got paired with an adult who was looking for a better job opportunity then what they had currently and I identified that there was just a need in the community for different options,” Sherrill said.

Each week, volunteer mentors provide training to adults with disabilities on how to refurbish bikes and do basic tune ups including pumping air in tires, putting oil on chains and adjusting brakes.

“They love working with the tools,” Sherrill said. “The work ethic that you learn from a bike, the communication skills to be able to talk about the bike, and the confidence in your knowledge of the repairs that you’ve done is just a robust opportunity for those individuals.”

On weekends, the organization sets up pop up a pop up bike shop at local breweries and festivals like the Independence Day Freedom Fest at Waterline Brewing on Saturday.

“In the past 4 years, there has been a major shift in the programs available for employment,” Sherrill said. “In the first couple of years, it was the advocacy piece and now it’s like the community gets it.”

If you would like to support the organization, the community is invited to their next barbecue fundraiser. It is scheduled for Saturday, July 27 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 130 Hooker Road in Wilmington, North Carolina. To reserve tickets, call 828-612-4456 or email at specialpedalsinc@gmail.com .