Bike the Basin Returns for Second Year

Though many groups fund research to cure different types of blindness, not all degenerative retinal diseases are given top priority, according to a local parent whose two sons are blind due to retinal disease.

Kristin Smedley's family, including her sons Michael, 12, and Mitchell, 9, decided to create an event that could help raise awareness for their disease, known as Lebers Congenital Amaurosis, which is caused by the CRB1 gene mutation.

—which will be held on Sept. 23—is like a fundraiser walk, but all of the participating kids are on bikes.

"It sounds chaotic and ridiculous, but it works," co-founder Smedley said.

At the event, children up to the age of 13 will ride bikes with their age group around the half mile track that circles the soccer field at the . Participants will also get a helmet check and have the chance to ride on a safety course, provided by Safe Kids Bucks County, according to Smedley.

Though the actual biking activity is for children, there are still activities for adults. Parents can shop the silent auction and special raffle areas. Additionally, will provide crowd energizer activities and fitness warm-ups.

The event debuted in 2011 as a way for people to come together and help the Smedley's and others involved bring the CRB1 Fund to the attention of the research community.

to ride bikes or volunteer to help run the event, along with their friends and family, even though the community was still recovering from Hurricane Irene.

"Last year there was the hurricane, and [the community] still came out anyway," she said. "It was the best thing for my boys to see the support."

Smedley said that the event was scheduled to function more as a day of awareness, but ended up raising a surprising amount of money for the fund.

"We raised just over $20,000," Smedley told Patch. "We were shocked." 

This year, the CRB1 Fund volunteers hope to double the number of participants and raise more money.

"We hope to jack it up several notches this year."

Smedley thinks that one thing that will make this year's Bike the Basin better is the live performance of her son Michael's band.

The event will close with a special 30 minute performance by his band, Casual Friday, for which Michael is the keyboardist. .

Registration for the event is open and the first 150 paid participants will receive a free event t-shirt. It costs $10 to participate, or you can also register to volunteer at Bike the Basin.

If it rains on the Sept. 23, the rain date is set for the following Sunday, Sept. 30.

For more information, visit Bike the Basin's website.