The “Wheels of Love” Arrive in Jerusalem 

2009-11-16 09:45

 

It seems like a usual cycling competition — riders, rejoicing crowd and finish line. However, in this bike ride named “Wheels of Love”, everyone is the winner. Their victory is providing aid for children in Alyn’s Hospital in Jerusalem.

[Hagai Shmueli, Spokesman, Alyn Hospital]:
 “Each of the 650 riders we have here has committed to raise funds for the "Alyn" Hospital children, and each went about it in their own way: friends, family joined in and that way we have added quite a number of people to the circle of contributors to the "Wheels of love."

This is the 10th anniversary of the “Wheels of Love” bike tour. The participants come from all over the world to raise money for disabled children and to enjoy seeing Israel from a biker's point of view. During 5 days of riding they gather a lot of experiences.

[Yarden Frankl, Ride Participant]:
“We rode in the Golan and it was pouring rain, freezing winds and we got quite muddy. I've never ridden like that. You ended up in a day taking a shower with your clothes on; you had mud on your legs, your arms, your mouth and your nose — everywhere, it was quite an amazing experience, but you come to Alyn and it all worth it.“

[Robert Schwartz, Ride Participant]:
“When I was riding, it was just fabulous, you know of course we went into some bad weather, but it was all worth it and a lot of fun. And when we rode in here at the finish, to see everybody here waiting for us, it was just a great, great feeling.”
 
Alyn hospital is a rehabilitation center for children suffering from various kinds of physical deformities. Some of them are victims of road accidents and terrorist attacks. For these children the success of their rehabilitation is tightly connected to the funds raised by this bike ride.

NTD, Jerusalem, Israel