Learning to ride a two-wheel bike is a milestone for most children, but some kids have a difficult time mastering the requisite skills.

Mt. Lebanon parent Timme Spanos knew that her son Zachary, a first-grader who has autism spectrum disorder, would need extra help to learn to ride independently. About a year ago, she heard about a national nonprofit organization called "Lose the Training Wheels" that provides special bikes and instructors to teach children the simple pleasure of riding a two-wheeler.

Ms. Spanos joined forces with three other Mt. Lebanon mothers -- Valerie Blue, Elizabeth Petruccelli and Lisa Silverman -- and a host of leaders in the disability community to bring a "Lose the Training Wheels" camp to Western Pennsylvania this summer.

Sponsored by The Children's Institute, the camp will be offered July 21-25 at the Iceoplex at Southpointe in Cecil.

The camp is for children ages 8 to 18 who have not yet learned to ride a two-wheel bike on their own. Participants must be ambulatory and have sufficient stamina, strength and motor control to ride a bike independently. The "Lose the Training Wheels" organization states that nearly 75 percent of children who complete the one-week camp learn how to ride a two-wheel bike. Participants attend a 75-minute session for five consecutive days to progress to greater levels of independence.

Sharon Gretz, Southwest System of Care Coordinator for Special Kids Network, mentored the parent organizers toward their goal of getting the camp up and running this summer and establishing the framework for future camps.

"They did not want the camp to be a one-shot deal. They want it to be an annual event," she said.

Other members of the camp organizing committee are Alexandra Robinson, chair of the ARC of Greater Pittsburgh board and member of the Achieva board, and Jeanine Schultz, also with Achieva. Like Ms. Gretz, Ms. Robinson and Ms. Schultz have children with special needs. Jere Gallagher, associate professor and director of the Kinder Kinetics program at the University of Pittsburgh, is also on the committee.

Camp organizer Valerie Blue said that her 12-year-old son, who goes by the nickname "Blue," has tried to learn how to ride a bike for several years, but has problems with motor coordination. "He wants to ride a bike and be part of the neighborhood," said his mother.

Camp participant Cece Robinson, 11, of Fox Chapel, has two brothers who ride bikes all summer long, said her mother, Mrs. Robinson. "If she is successful at learning to ride a two-wheel bike independently, she can ride with them and we can go on family bike rides. It would mean a lot to our family and to our daughter."

Tuition for the camp is $175. Community partners include The Buhl Foundation, FISA Foundation, W.I. Patterson Fund and Center for Community Resources Inc. Corporate sponsors include Dollar Bank, GlaxoSmithKline, Jones Day, Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh/Southpointe and Trek of Pittsburgh.

Although this summer's camp has reached its limit of 40 registrants, names are being taken for a waiting list for future camps. The camp also is seeking volunteers, age 18 and older, to work one-on-one with campers.

For information, call The Children's Institute at 412-420-2395 or visit www.amazingkids.org or www.losethetrainingwheels.org.