Saint Luke’s, City Club, Bike Your Neighborhood Host Special Film Screening and Discussion of “Bike Vessel
Join us for a discussion and neighborhood bike ride on Cleveland’s East Side
Cleveland, Ohio – July 8, 2024 – The Saint Luke’s Foundation, in partnership with the City Club of Cleveland, Bike Your Neighborhood, and the Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival, is proud to present a special forum, “The Power of Cycling: A Journey of Healing and Community” including a film screening of “Bike Vessel,” directed by Eric D. Seals. The film screening and discussion will take place on Friday, July 12, 2024, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Atlas Cinemas Shaker Square, 13116 Shaker Square, Cleveland, Ohio 44120. Join us for an evening of inspiration, conversation, and community as we explore the power of cycling to transform lives and promote health equity.
Event Details:
- Date and Time: Friday, July 12, 2024, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Venue: Atlas Cinemas Shaker Square, 13116 Shaker Square, Cleveland, Ohio 44120
- Schedule:
- Doors open at 6:45 p.m.
- Film screening begins at 7:15 p.m.
- Panel discussion starts at 8:50 p.m.
About the Film:
Bike Vessel, follows the remarkable journey of Donnie Seals Sr., who, after suffering from severe heart problems and undergoing three quadruple bypass surgeries, turned his life around through cycling. Now 70 years old, Donnie bicycles over 30 miles daily and has seen a dramatic improvement in his health. Directed by his son, Eric D. Seals, the film explores the health disparities affecting Black men and the systemic racism contributing to their low life expectancy and high death rates.
Panel Discussion:
Following the screening, join us for an insightful panel discussion featuring Donnie Seals Sr., who will share his personal experiences and insights from the film. Additional panelists include cycling advocates and community leaders, Deidre McPherson and Ashley Evans from Bike Your Neighborhood and Sam Prewitt from Bike Cleveland. The discussion will delve into the film’s themes of health equity and the transformative power of cycling.
Additional Information:
- This is a FREE public event, but registration is required. Each ticket includes a complimentary order of popcorn and one fountain drink. Walk-ins are welcome based on availability.
- For more information and to register, visit City Club.
Community Bike Ride with Mayor Bibb and Bike Vessel’s Filmmakers:
In addition to the film screening, we invite you to join the filmmakers and Bike Your Neighborhood for a community bike ride on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at 11 am. The purpose of the bike rides aims to cultivate accessible and inclusive activities that promote physical activity and community engagement through the power of cycling. The group gathers at 11 am and the ride begins at 11:30 am at Amos Norwood Park (E.128th & Drexmore Road) with special guest, Mayor Justin Bibb. The bike ride is for all ages and abilities and will focus on Buckeye-Shaker, Larchmere, Ludlow, Mt. Pleasant & Woodland Hills neighborhoods. For information, visit Bike Your Neighborhood.
“The Foundation recognized the importance of engaging in this crucial discussion and supporting the resident-driven Bike Your Neighborhood effort,” says Peter Whitt, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Saint Luke’s Foundation. “We continue to cultivate initiatives and spaces that empower residents and strive to improve our neighborhoods’ health and well-being of those who live, work, and play here.”
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About Bike Your Neighborhood
Bike Your Neighborhood (BYN) was founded in 2023 by Ashley Evans and Robert L. Render, members of the Saint Luke’s Foundation’s Resident Advancement Committee with bike educator/advocate and community organizer Deidre McPherson. Bike Your Neighborhood is a movement dedicated to fostering wellness, connectivity, and empowerment within the neighborhoods of Buckeye-Shaker, Larchmere, Mt. Pleasant, and Woodland Hills.Sponsors include Three Black Knights, Burten Bell Carr Development, Bike Cleveland, CAMBA Housing Ventures, Deidre McPherson Cycling, Hallstar Construction LLC, Jamal Collins, Larovere Consulting & Development, Neighborhood Connections, Ohio City Bicycle Co-Op, Partnership for a Safer Cleveland, President’s Council, Ashley Evans, Reuben Holloway, Saint Luke’s Foundation, and Shaker Square LLC.
About Saint Luke’s Foundation
The Saint Luke’s Foundation is dedicated to achieving health equity by addressing social determinants of health for people in neighborhoods surrounding Saint Luke’s and throughout Cuyahoga County. Saint Luke’s is committed to demonstrating grantmaking that is responsive to the community and believes that people thrive as a result of living free of racism and poverty and experiencing equitable economic opportunities and conditions that enable them to lead healthier lives. In 2021, the Saint Luke’s Foundation launched its community engagement platform, Lift Every Voice 216, which included annual neighborhood bike rides. These rides inspired the inception of Bike Your Neighborhood, driven by residents’ desire to create more opportunities for community togetherness and promote healthy eating and active living. Since it was established with the charitable assets of the Saint Luke’s Medical Center in 1997, the Foundation has awarded over $170 million in grants. For more information on the work of Saint Luke’s Foundation, please visit saintlukesfoundation.org
Media Contact:
Devonta Dickey
Communications and Marketing Officer
Saint Luke’s Foundation
773.816.3307
ddickey@stlukesfdn.org