Local nonprofit Team Pease pitches June youth bike camp to Orleans council

A representative who identified herself as the founder of Team Pease told the Orleans council she plans to run a weeklong youth bike camp June 22–26, 2026, targeting children ages 7 to 13, with daily hours roughly 8:30 a.m. to noon.

She said Team Pease, founded in 2019 and now operating as a nonprofit in seven schools across local counties, wants to pair bicycle skills and safety instruction with social-emotional learning and leadership activities. The presenter said the camp would include a "learn to ride" workshop, a summer bike challenge that tracks miles, and a community bike parade at the end of the session.

On logistics, she said she had discussed using a school parking lot as a staging area with "Mister Ellis" at Orleans Schools and that Sadie at Radius had tentatively reserved portions of the Monon Trail for some activities and table space. She said Orleans Tri Kappa committed to buying 30 bike helmets for participants and that the group had received about 10 donated bikes; the program hopes to provide additional bikes at low or no cost for children who need them.

Committee members and attendees asked about funding and partnerships. One council member suggested national funding sources and potential collaboration with a local "first chance" center to reach clients who would benefit from the camp. The presenter said she already has some volunteers, aims for an adult-to-child ratio of about 1 to 5 or 6, and hopes to enroll roughly 50 children based on prior camp attendance.

The presenter asked the council for guidance and partnership, not a specific appropriation during the meeting; council members expressed support and offered to help identify volunteers and local contacts. The council did not take a formal vote on the request during the meeting.

Next steps: the presenter said she would finalize a schedule, follow up with the council and staff, and continue to seek sponsors and donations to supply helmets and bikes.