Six-year-old Nash Millward got to ride his very own bike for the first time Tuesday — thanks to Variety the Children’s Charity’s My Bike Program, which provides adaptive bikes to kids with disabilities.

Nash, of Mt. Pleasant, was diagnosed with epilepsy and nonverbal autism, and without the program, “he probably wouldn’t ever have been patient enough to ride a bike,” his mom, Emily Millward said.

Nash’s new bike was one of eight given to local kids at Latrobe Elementary School by the Pine-based nonprofit’s program, and the presentation ended with a “bike parade” to give the kids a chance to take their gifts on a spin around the gym floor.

“Being able to have him experience everything the world has to offer, even if it has to be adaptive in a way that he can, as long as he can participate and … be involved just like everybody else is … it means a lot,” Emily Millward said.

Bradley Millward, Nash’s dad, said he’s seen other kids out riding their bikes, and it’s nice that his son now can participate and become more involved.

“We’re just really thankful,” Bradley Millward said.

The adaptive bike distribution Tuesday wouldn’t have been possible without the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Latrobe, which provided $20,000 worth of funding for the mobility equipment.

Gregg Lisbon, FOE Latrobe president, said he was able to pick the charity his organization donated to this year, and he ended up picking Variety.

The group was able to raise $10,000 from their Lenten fish frys, and the grand aerie, which oversees FOE organizations, matched the amount.

“We couldn’t have done it without the help of our volunteers,” said Lisbon, of Latrobe. “It makes me proud, extremely proud, to be a member and have so many people work together.

“I forgot to bring a box of tissues,” Lisbon said. “It’s really cool … just to see the smiles on their faces.”

Leechburg resident Rebecca Kent said receiving an adaptive bike through Variety’s My Bike Program was amazing for her daughter, Maria Kent.

“(Maria) loves swinging and loves movement, so this is like super motivating for her,” Rebecca Kent said.

The Kents found out about Variety through therapy at The Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh, and the new bike will help Maria, 3, with therapies, Rebecca Kent said.

Each bike has straps for the kids, and she said that feature will help her not to worry about Maria riding the bike. The bikes also have a steering mechanism for adults to guide the bike’s movement.

“It’s really smooth, honestly,” Emily Millward said. “It looks kinda daunting when you first see it, (but) it was really easy … to maneuver.”

Both the Millwards and Kents said the bikes will make their kids feel more included with other kids their age, as well as their siblings.

“When sister’s ready for a bike, (Nash will) be able to pedal right alongside her,” Emily Millward said. “It means a lot.”

Since Variety’s My Bike Program began in 2012, CEO Charles LaVallee said more than 5,500 adaptive bikes, adaptive strollers and communication devices have been presented to kids in the charity’s 71-county service area in Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia, which is over $8.4 million worth of equipment.

The success of the bike distribution inspired the creation of Variety’s My Stroller and My Voice programs, according to LaVallee, of Cranberry.

“(The families have) waited for this moment for their kids to be able to do what I took for granted,” LaVallee said of riding a bike. “The things I think … we take for granted are big for them.”

LaVallee said his sister-in-law has Down syndrome, and every night when they talk on the phone, “she’s the same level of happy” to see him.

“She’s changed my life,” LaVallee said during the presentation. “She communicates more joy in seeing me than anybody.”

He said he’s “reflected on that a lot” and believes he should be more like her.

“I think we need to find a strategy in this society for how do we give (kids with disabilities) their best lives and really be open to them having us learn from them,” LaVallee said.

LaVallee said Variety strives to give those kids “typical experiences” to enable them to “maximize their potential.”

“There’s no reason Pennsylvania can’t be a model for the nation,” LaVallee said. “That’s what we’re trying to do now — is establish a model that could be driven to scale with public sector dollars.”

He said with charities, “you can only go so far.”

“What breaks my heart is thinking about kids in Westmoreland County that don’t know they could be riding a bike or getting a stroller or getting a communication device,” LaVallee said.

In Westmoreland County, Variety has distributed over $509,000 worth of equipment, which totals 345 bikes, strollers and communication devices.

LaVallee said he talks to families who come to events such as Tuesday’s because he’s interested in hearing about what they had to overcome.

“We need to listen — not just with our heads but with our hearts — of what they’ve taken to get to this moment today,” LaVallee said. “They inspire me.”

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