Cycling at a Higher Level

Attorney Anita M. Lamar Owner, Managing Attorney

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Cycling at a Higher Level

By Beth Volpert Johansen

No matter what your age, change can bring challenges. Some challenges might be negative in nature, but some challenges open up a whole new world. For Lilburn cyclist Doug Freeland, challenge is just another word for an exceptional opportunity.

With the support of his wife Amy, Doug is the stay-at-home parent of an adult child with special needs. Assessing challenges and developing the ability to meet those challenges head-on for the best outcome have been a major part of their parenting journey. It was in navigating the “system” that Doug and Amy found ways to give their son, JD, some of the same opportunities as his brother, Jacob.

“For many parents of a special needs individual, celebrating their 22nd birthday can be, quite frankly, scary,” explains Doug on his website cyclingatahigherlevel.com. “Because at 22, all the services provided by the school system come to a screeching halt – no more speech therapy, no more parapro assistance, no more Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).”

Doug adds, “After a few false starts in our search for organizations that would provide JD with a meaningful way to spend his days, we found two non-profits that were a perfect fit!”

One place is Special Kneads and Treats in Lawrenceville. “JD has a desire to get out of bed and earn a paycheck – something he considers one of the best parts,” says Doug. Special Kneads and Treats “provides valuable work experience and training to special needs adults. The work encourages self-confidence, a sense of value, and the opportunity to enjoy success and socialization” (www.specialkneadsandtreats.org).

Having a job to fill the days and provide a sense of purpose is crucial to the well-being of any human being. Additionally, it is just as important for people to have meaningful relationships with peers who share common experiences. When someone “ages out” of the public school system, all the services that these individuals had come to rely on for skills development and a general sense of purpose are lost.

“Oftentimes, the parents of the individual do not have the time, finances, and other resources to provide for the child,” explains Doug. “Too much of the time, the special needs person spends his/ her days sitting in front of a TV, computer, or sadly, doing nothing.” Finding space for JD with the Exceptional Foundation of Atlanta (EFA) meant that their son would have a place to spend his days that fit his own exceptional needs.

Knowing that both organizations rely heavily on fundraising, Doug decided to combine his “epic ride” across the US with the goal of raising awareness and funding to support the Exceptional Foundation of Atlanta as well as Special Kneads and Treats. “The goal was to ride my bike from Manhattan Beach, California to