Eagle Scout project raises money for MMI’s Wheel Club

Nick Seline, left, raised $5,000 for the Wheel Club at UNMC’s Munroe-Meyer Institute through his Eagle Scout project. Pictured with Seline on a ride last fall are Andrew Plato on the bike and recreational technician Brian Lefebvre.

Nick Seline needed an idea for his Eagle Scout project. While raking leaves one day last fall, it came to him.

What if he and his fellow boy scouts offered to do yard work and household chores in exchange for a donation to a good cause? They could ask a nominal $10 per task whether it be to mow the lawn, walk the dog or babysit. The money would go to the Wheel Club at UNMC’s Munroe-Meyer Institute.

“I came up with the ‘good deedathon’ because I thought it’d be the perfect fundraiser for Boy Scouts. Part of our oath is to serve others,” said the 15-year-old Seline. “I chose to help out MMI’s Wheel Club because I knew how much they needed it.”

MMI’s Wheel Club is funded entirely by private donations from the Enrichment Foundation of Omaha, the Armstrong-McDonald Family Foundation of Arizona and the Alan and Marcia Baer Charitable Trust of Omaha among others.

Held in the spring and fall, it allows those who are unable to ride a bike independently the chance to feel the wind on their face by riding with a partner on a tandem bike.

“Of our 11 bike fleet, some of the bikes allow the rider with disabilities to steer and help with propulsion and braking,” said Michael Crawford, Re.D., director of recreation therapy at MMI. “Other bikes offer a relaxed ride for those who are more medically fragile, but still enjoy the sensations a bike ride can bring.”

Ride schedules The following is a schedule of Wheel Club rides. All rides run from 2 to 4 p.m. Spring Rides April 19 — Towl Park, 90th and Center streets; April 26 — Zorinsky Lake, 168th St. entrance; May 10 — Heartland of America Park, downtown Omaha; May 24 — Towl Park, 90th and Center streets; June 7 — Zorinsky Lake, 168th St. entrance; and June 21 — Heartland of America Park, downtown Omaha. Fall Rides Sept. 6 — Towl Park, 90th and Center streets; Sept. 20 — Zorinsky Lake, 168th St. entrance; Oct. 4 — Heartland of America Park, downtown Omaha; Oct. 18 — Towl Park, 90th and Center streets; and Nov. 8 — Zorinsky Lake, 168th St. entrance. For more information contact Nicole Giron at 559-3018 or ngiron@unmc.edu. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

As the brother of someone with Asperger’s syndrome, Seline recognizes the importance of opportunities for those with disabilities.

Recently, he and fellow scouts amassed $2,500 worth of good deeds to contribute to the Wheel Club. The Alan and Marcia Baer Family Charitable Trust agreed to match the scouts’ earnings.

Not only does the project benefit MMI’s Wheel Club, but it also positions Seline closer to his goal of becoming an Eagle Scout.

“Being an eagle scout is the ultimate accomplishment in Boy Scouts,” he said. “It is the top of the mountain. If I become an ‘Eagle,’ it means that scouting has been lifted up due to my efforts.”

Crawford and his crew have been lifted up by Seline’s efforts as well.

“We hope the fund being established for the Wheel Club through the University of Nebraska Foundation by this scout will be the beginning of a permanent endowment for the program, so that we can keep it going,” he said.

Seline hopes so too.

“I just hope I can make some kid’s day by giving him the chance to ride a bike,” he said.