WOMEN’S TANDEM TEAM
ABOUT VICKI
Our founder’s daughter, who in her early life was unable to do anything due to brain injury from numerous gran mal seizures, learned she loved any kind of movement including trampolines, rollercoasters, etc. ( I must have taken Vicki on every rollercoaster built at Astro World), car rides, boat rides, and bike rides. She loves movement and exercise. I have been riding bikes with Vicki since she came to Brookwood starting on 3 wheels and now on a tandem bike. Vicki and I will partner together for as many miles as she can endure.
ABOUT CARRIE
ABOUT SUSAN
This young lady has really become courageous living at Brookwood. It took Susan awhile to join in the different events thinking she couldn’t do it but then she saw her peers at Brookwood get involved and she came to realize that perhaps “I can do it too” (joining handbells, being in plays, supporting other Citizens in the shops, and bike riding). She has just begun to reach her peak in long distance bike riding. She is one of several Citizens that rides her bike to work and activities. Since she rides a 3 wheel bike, Susan wanted to participate in this bike event and she is one of reasons we are purchasing a tandem bike with a 3 wheel bike attachment on the back of the tandem. Susan is very excited to be a part of the Bike to the Beach team.
ABOUT KIM
ABOUT VICKI
ABOUT GREG
When we interviewed with Yvonne Streit, the founder of Brookwood and mother of Vicki, her daughter with disabilities, Yvonne asked my wife, Andrea, many questions and I think Yvonne was quite impressed with her answers. She then looked over at me and said “What can you do?” I almost told her I could fix televisions, thinking that the INN, where the first Citizens were going to live, would have televisions but instead said “I would do anything asked” (I am glad I did not tell her I could fix TVs because later she said she hoped there would not be TVs at Brookwood but rather a robust and busy activities program). I had worked at Camp Longhorn up in the Hill Country as Boys Camp Director and I immediately told Yvonne about all these “outrageous activities” we did at camp. I could tell by her look these activities would not be suitable for the Citizens at Brookwood so I just made up a fun activity and exercise which included BIKE RIDING and told her of the benefits of riding bikes. It must have “caught her attention” because she smiled and went back to my wife to discuss child development.
After the interview, Andrea and I walked to our car and she said how much she would really like to work at Brookwood. In my mind though I was sure I ruined the interview with my silly answers so I rushed back inside and asked to see Mrs. Streit for just a moment. I told her I could drive a bus (there was an old bus in the driveway that brought the Citizens to Brookwood from Briarwood School) and I could start up a BIKE CLUB. I would have never imagined I would get the job and be driving buses for 34 years, but even more I could have never imagined we would have over 100 bikes: 2 wheels, 3 wheels, tandem, side by side, crank bikes, and now a tandem with a three wheel back section. We also have a new first class Bike Pavilion that rivals any building I have ever seen to store over 100 bikes with Yvonne Streit’s input and approval!!
THE BROOKWOOD TEAM
We hope that you can join our riding team for this amazing opportunity. Feel free to get to know the Brookwood Interdependence Team.
MEN’S TANDEM TEAM
ABOUT THOMAS
ABOUT JOSH
ABOUT ANDREW
ABOUT PATRICK
ABOUT BUDDY
ABOUT SCOTT
THE BROOKWOOD TEAM
We hope that you can join our riding team for this amazing opportunity. Feel free to get to know the Brookwood Interdependence Team.
INDIVIDUAL RIDERS
ABOUT BECAH
My name is Becah Butler. I have been working with people who have special needs for the past 29 years some might even say it is my biggest passion. I previously worked at Briarwood and in Klein ISD before starting my journey at Brookwood. I dearly love the Citizens at Brookwood and what they add to my life everyday. It is immeasurable joy. As a runner, I believe that fitness is essential for mental and physical health. I am a little scared to Bike to the Beach but I will cling to my Citizen friends and my family for inspiration. Let’s do this!!!
ABOUT ELIZABETH
Elizabeth Carlyle is the Chief Operating Officer of The Brookwood Community. Prior to coming to Brookwood, Elizabeth served as Vice President and General Counsel for Vision Source and as General Counsel of Second Baptist Church in Houston. You can often find Elizabeth biking around the Brookwood Community to get from one meeting to the next or to visit her friends, the talented Citizens of Brookwood. Elizabeth is married and has two children.
ABOUT JANA
Tears filled my eyes as I drove back to Houston on FM 1489. My thought…EVERY individual deserves a life filled with meaning and purpose, dignity and respect and adults with disABILITIES deserve no less, the opportunity to live equally fulfilling, purpose-filled lives.
It was 1999 and I had just completed my first site visit to Brookwood Community as a Grant Officer from a Houston Foundation. My experience that day left me in awe of God’s hand in the development of this amazing community. What I saw that day changed my heart in ways I will never forget. Individuals with autism, down syndrome, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, and other disABILITIES, happy and working at their level of ability. They worked side by side, helping each other, creating exquisite handcrafted ceramic and stone casting products. They also worked in horticulture growing beautiful flowers and cheerfully serving guests in the Brookwood cafe or retail store where they sell the products they make. Citizens were happy to have a job, proud to tell you about their work, felt they were making a contribution, and expressed what it meant to receive a paycheck. They also shared what they did after work enabling them to demonstrate their talent whether it was playing in the Brookwood Handbell Choir, volunteering for meals on wheels, practicing for an upcoming play, preparing for a 5K walk or even training for a long distance bike ride.
Life for the Citizens of Brookwood is filled with meaning, purpose, dignity and respect. For the next 14 years, through ongoing site visits with the foundation, I had the opportunity to continuously observe the life changing experiences this community offers adults with all levels of disAIILITIES and fell in love with the heart and authentic Spirit of each one.
In 2013 I joined the Brookwood Community as a full time community/staff member, and as I drive to Brookwood from my home near downtown, I feel that same feeling I felt 20 years ago in 1999 on my first site visit….there is something very different and special going on here. There is truly a Spirit in this place!