WEATHERLY, Pa. — Even though everyone was wearing masks, you could feel the smiles and hear the laughs as the lives of 10 families are being changed forever.
"Adelaide has four siblings, so when we go out on adventures and stuff, we go for walks, the kids can rides bikes. As Adelaide is able to use that bike more and more, she's going to be able to go out with us, on her own, instead of having to be in the wheelchair," 11-year-old Adelaide's mom, Meagan Normand explained.
Variety, a children's charity out of Pittsburgh came to Lehigh Township, Carbon County to give away five adaptive strollers and fiveadaptive bikes, nearly $15,000 worth of equipment, all at no cost to the families of kids with disabilities.
Almost 4-year-old Leona Gaston is blind, and as she's getting older - and bigger - the stroller will help her mom, too.
"She loves it. She likes to be pushed. She's comfortable in it. She loves to feel the ground, the bumps and everything. She can't see, but she can feel everything," said Leona's mom Ayla Hoffman from Lehighton.
To make the event even more special, members of the Flying Aces Motorcycle Club offered up their location and even brought their Harleys to show off to the kids. In return, the kids showed off their new rides.
"It's a great feeling. The first time you get on a bike, any age, any bike. This is the first mobile unit these kids have. It's really cool," said Steve Cerullo, Flying Aces Motorcycle Club member.
Officials with the nonprofit based in Pittsburgh are traveling all over Pennsylvania to give away the adaptive bikes and strollers to kids with disabilities with the help of Blackburn's Medical Supply. Variety also partnered with Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21 to make the event happen.
"I've been doing this now five or six years. It's as special now as it is the first time. To see these kids do something no one thought they could do," said Mickey Sgro, Variety board member.
Variety is constantly raising the funds to make days like this happen, so the nonprofit is constantly accepting new applications.