A Catalyst Love Story - Part 3
“Maggie is more competitive than Brad,” Catalyst volunteer, Matt Kirby said. “Brad is easygoing. Both of them are always willing to hang on for the adventure!”
In 2021, Kirby guided Maggie and Brad on their first mountain biking date in the woods of North Carolina, exploring trails he hadn’t yet ridden with adaptive athletes. “They were up for anything,” Matt recalls.
A series of life events, including fixing a prosthesis with a bike derailleur cable while volunteering in Honduras, led Kirby to become a prosthetist orthotist. His profession, combined with his passion for mountain biking made partnering with Catalyst a seamless and transformative endeavor. He has volunteered with us for five years and is currently the Mountain Bike Coordinator for our Asheville Chapter.
“My experiences with Catalyst have always been rewarding. Not only are we providing access for people to enjoy adventure sports, but I get to share things that I’ve accessed throughout my life with people who are in the forest for the first time. It tugs at my heartstrings.”
Today, Maggie, Brad and Matt are close friends. They ride together during Catalyst events and enjoy each other’s company outside of mountain biking too. Next year, Matt is accompanying Maggie and Brad for another significant moment - but that’s for our next email.
In the meantime, we’d like to share with you that next January, Kirby will be our full-time Adaptive Mountain Bike Director! We are thrilled to welcome him to our staff.
Catalyst couldn’t be successful without volunteer support. Whether belaying our athletes, joining us on a paddle or signing up for a group ride, we welcome anyone who is inclined to share their skillset and excitement for the outdoors with us.
If you are interested in building community and engaging in unforgettable experiences outdoors, consider volunteering with Catalyst. The part you play in someone else’s story could be life-changing.