Sterling Spinners Make Big Impact in Community

The Sterling Spinners Youth Bicycle Club

Many of us have our own stories of how we began riding a bike and the positive influence and results it has brought to our lives. A group of teens in Greenville can now join the fold with their own bicycle origins thanks to a wildly successful club started by LiveWell Greenville, St Francis Hospital, and Sterling Recreation Center.

An initiative of Building Dreams, the Sterling Spinners began in 2010 as a bicycling club for middle school students from the Sterling community. Ten students were recruited as the club’s initial members and talked about eating well and living a healthy lifestyle, but of course they spent a lot of time in the saddle. Frequent rides on the Swamp Rabbit Trail or favorite local parks gave the kids independence and confidence in their abilities- something that carried over into the classroom.

 The club also took time to bond off the bike, attending a Furman University football game by bike and taking trips (by car) to Clemson University and Youth-in-Government in Columbia. The original plan was for the program to end along with summer in 2010, but the adults and kids opted to continue riding and welcomed a second class of club members in March 2011. Current club members can scarcely contain their excitement when they come home from a ride, often telling their parents every detail of their adventures. The excitement extends outside the club, as well- younger children at the Sterling Recreation Center are clamoring for their chance to join the bike club.

They will get their chance as stakeholders in the Sterling Spinners look to expand the club in the Sterling Community and ideally replicate its success in other under-served communities. Adult bicyclists who want to be involved with the clubs can contact David Taylor for more information.