Auburn Skies

Mayor Pete Lewis, middle, City Councilman Bill Peloza, left, and the Employee Recycling Program's Nick Nicholson, sitting, were on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday. The group dedicated the City's newly purchased Specialized Recreation Cycling Trailer.

Kudos goes to the Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation Department in joining the good folks at the Employee Recycling Program to purchase a Specialized Recreation Cycling Trailer. The joint $7,000 acquisition will serve a small but important part of the community – those athletes with disabilities.

Unlike other reluctant cities, Auburn goes out of its way to assist its athletes. “And just because they grow older, we don’t forget about them,” said Daryl Faber, director of the Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation.

The new trailer, which stretches more than 22 feet, will transport as many as 40 bikes, including tandem bikes, tricycles and quadracycles, to trails for training and competitions. Auburn supports about 40 athletes, varying in age from 5 to 57. The team competes in nearby competitions, including the Washington State Summer Olympic Games, where it has brought home its share of medals.

The city’s specialized rec program continues to provide healthy and active programming for participants, both young and old, big and small. The department is one of the best around in setting the tone and reaching out to serve groups, specialized or not.

The trailer would not have been possible without the cooperation between the City and the Employee Recycling Program Fund, a state nonprofit foundation that provides financial assistance for equipment and uniforms to people with disabilities for sports training.