Two Years Strong

Making Trails Accessible:

Our initial focus was improving accessibility on trails at Lake Crabtree and Harris Lake County Parks. Here's what we've achieved:

Lake Crabtree: Eight bridges widened, three trail bypasses created, with the entire park now offering various skill levels for adapted cyclists (except the small black diamond loop). We celebrated these improvements with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 19th.

Harris Lake: Two of the four identified bridges at the intermediate loop have been replaced. Work on the remaining two is expected to be completed by June. Additionally, Harris Lake has designated an accessible staging area with a transfer bench installed by NCAS for adapted cyclists.

Looking Ahead: NCAS is actively involved in the new 286/Umstead off-road trail project, ensuring accessibility for advanced adapted cyclists on the planned 200+ acres allotted to the project.

Beyond Trails: Expanding Opportunities

NCAS has experienced exciting growth, with programs blossoming sooner than anticipated:

Red Wolves Youth Wheelchair Basketball: Launched in November, this program has had 11 enthusiastic youngsters practicing at the Taylor Family YMCA on Saturdays. Parents are actively recruiting, aiming for a registered team in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association for the 2024-2025 season.

Adapted Swim Lessons: NCAS is partnering with the Taylor Family YMCA to offer swim lessons for children with physical disabilities, fostering inclusivity and swimming skills. We've also reserved space on the Taylor Storm Swim Team for para-swimmers interested in a fun, competitive environment this summer.

Adapted Kayaking: Get ready to hit the water! NCAS is partnering with the Town of Cary to offer adaptive kayaking lessons at Bond Park this summer. Lead volunteer Carol Rogers is spearheading this exciting new program.

Supporting Athletes: NCAS is committed to helping adapted athletes acquire equipment. Thanks to a generous $100,000 donation from the Rogers Family, we've established a local NCAS Athlete Equipment Endowment. This will allow us to offer grants starting in 2025, subsidizing equipment costs and helping NCAS athletes take their pursuits to the next level.

NCAS Programs Keep Growing:

We're constantly working to expand our offerings:

Race Circuit: Thanks to Stephen Knight's dedication, local race organizers, Berger Hardware and Oak City Cycling, have included adapted categories in their events.

Three NCAS athletes competed in the Croatan Buck 50, a 22-mile gravel race in the Croatan National Forest. This event will continue as part of our race circuit thanks to collaboration with the Wounded Warrior Project-Si Wilson.

Volunteer and Athlete Training: Our cycling program committee is developing a program to train future volunteers and support athletes.  CEO, Wes Hall, is attaining his Adapted Mountain Bike Instructor Certification at the beginning of May.

Website Upgrade: We are overhauling the NCAS website to meet our organization goals, to honor our community collaborations, partners, and sponsors, and create a better experience for site visitors.

Expanding Cycle Fleet: Our second Bowhead Rogue Off-Road Handcycle arrives in the next two weeks, and a new trailer will improve the mobility of our cycling program.

Climbing Opportunities: We're continuing our collaboration with Catalysts Sports to offer adapted climbing experiences at the Triangle Rock Club in Morrisville.

Financial Highlights (2023):

 $34,108 carried over from 2022.

$68,908 raised, including $48,908 from community support and a $20,000 REI Foundation Grant.

$35,940 spent on accessible trail projects, program cycles, and operational costs (insurance, website, fundraising CRM)

Thank You!

We are incredibly grateful for your continued support. Here is to many more years of empowering athletes with physical disabilities through the power of adapted sports and inclusive opportunities.

 If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me, it will be my pleasure to help.