Today we’d like to introduce you to Officer Amanda Clay.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
In April of 2013, I joined the Bike Patrol Unit of the Alpharetta Police Department and along with my partner Officer Allen Elfreth, we volunteered at our local iCan Bike summer camp. At that time, it was still being hosted in Alpharetta just by another organization.
In 2015, that organization decided that they were no longer going to host iCan Bike in Alpharetta anymore- which my partner and I could not stand. So, we approached the Police Chief and requested that we are allowed to continue the mission of iCan Bike in Alpharetta – and we have been hosting it every July ever since.
I truly believe that every person deserves the opportunity to enjoy the joy that one feels while riding a bicycle, and it is my honor and privilege to serve those with disabilities in the Atlanta area and beyond. We have had riders come to us from a few states away, which is a testimony to the program and the army of wonderful volunteers that help me make this camp possible.
Every summer we host 40 children with special needs, and I send out pleas for the almost 100 volunteers that it takes to run this camp. By the end of the camp, most of the 40 children are riding a two-wheeled bicycle independently. Imagine the thrill of doing something that you thought was completely impossible in the span of 5 days. If you do not believe in miracles, this camp will change your mind.
In reality, what keeps me motivated to host a camp such as this one is that I believe in the oath that I took when I first became a Police Officer in 2011, that I am here to protect and to serve, and that service extends to all citizens no matter their needs. My partner and I saw a hole in our community that needed to be filled with love and acceptance and today, I am continuing that tradition here in Alpharetta.
My sincere hope is that when people seem me involved in this camp, that they see more than a Police Officer. I hope they see me for more than my uniform, that they see that anyone can make a positive difference in the lives of another person if all they do is have a little faith and take a chance. I do not do this camp because I am a Police Officer on the Bike Patrol Unit – I host this camp because it is simply the right thing to do and it makes my heart happy. Imagine what our world would be like if more people did things like this.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Is life ever a smooth road? No of course not, I’ll be honest with you, being a Police Officer in today’s society can be rough. However, I’m not going to let that stop me from doing what I know is right. I have trouble most years getting enough funds to pay for the expenses of running this camp and some people tell me upfront that they do not want to donate to the police department or to a police officer. As a result, my husband (who is also a police officer) and I (and other members of my amazing family who support my mission), usually end up footing part of the bill for the week of camp.
We try exceptionally hard to keep our entrance fee at $200/camper because we know that having a child with special needs is hard enough without adding expense. (we know because we care for my mother who is also special needs) The actual cost of running the camp is around $400 a rider, so you see, there is a gap in funding where I rely on the generous donation from the community. Some years we get those donations and some years we do not.
The other major hurdle we have are getting enough volunteers to run the program. Teaching a child to ride a bicycle is physically demanding, and our program requires that there be two “spotters” for every rider. So doing some math you can quickly realize that we need a minimum of 80 volunteers to run the camp. Getting these many volunteers can be a challenge, but without them, we simply cannot hold the camp. All we ask is for someone to give 75 min of their time- because that is how the camp is divided. 8 riders in each 75 min. session, with 5 sessions daily for 5 days.
iCan Bike Alpharetta – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’m a Police Officer with the Alpharetta Police Department in Alpharetta Georgia. I began my career as an Alpharetta Police Explorer when I was 14 years old. I always knew, that I wanted to be a Police Officer and I have always loved helping others, but I never imagined that I would end up partnering with the iCan Shine organization to host something like iCan Bike.
I am currently a member of the department’s Honor Guard, Crisis Negotiation Team, am an Advisor for the Alpharetta Police Exploring Program, and am of course still a member of the Bike Patrol Unit.
I am most proud of my organization for their willingness to allow me to be engaged in the iCan Bike program, as this is not the typical role for a Police Officer, but I think that it is only a small part of a larger much-needed role in our community today. Our communities are changing and demanding more and different things from their Police Officers that they have in the past and I am proud of the City of Alpharetta for being willing to be flexible and changing to meet the needs of those we serve.
What sets our organization apart from others is that we have always been service oriented as a department. I go to work every day knowing that I will make a true difference for someone, I will not retire and ask myself if what I did matter because I know that everything I do everyday matters to someone. Knowing that is pretty cool because I do not know of many other professions in which the employees could be that confident in the positive impact of their work.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Besides getting to marry my husband, who I met through the Alpharetta Police Exploring program as a kid, and who I still get to work with every day? 🙂
I am proudest of the fact that I am only 30 years old, but have had the amazing opportunity to impact so many lives through not only programs like iCan Bike, but through being an Advisor for the Alpharetta Police Exploring program and through the many other community outreach programs that I have been a part of during my lifetime.
There is no greater gift than to be given the opportunity to bless someone else through your own works and I would like to think that I have done that. I am proud to be known throughout my community not only as “Officer Clay” but as “Amanda” and as a neighbor, a family member, a wife and a friend. I love that I often get to act as a bridge between communities that might not otherwise interact with one another. I would do this even if I were not a Police Officer, as this is simply who I am.
However, societal changes and attitudes towards police have added a new layer to my work and it is more important to me than ever before to spread the message that behind my badge, I am a person just like anyone else – complete with flaws. Despite all of that, I really do believe that I am proudest to be spreading the message that it is possible for anyone to get along with anyone else, no matter their race, religion, gender or ability. Once you look into the eyes of even your greatest enemy and see that person beneath all else – you cannot help but see yourself – just another human.
Pricing:
- $200/rider limited to the first 40 riders
Contact Info:
- Address: Officer A. Clay #367
Alpharetta Police Dept.
2565 Old Milton Pkwy.
Alpharetta, GA 30009 - Website: https://icanshine.org/alpharetta-ga/
- Phone: 678-297-6383
- Email: aclay@alpharetta.ga.us
- Instagram: @icanbikealpharetta
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ICanBikeAlpharetta/
- Other: www.alpharetta.ga.us
Image Credit:
Officer Clay, Officer Allen Elfreth
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