Chris Norton--Paying it Forward

Former Luther College football player Chris Norton wants to help people who have suffered spinal cord injuries similar to the one he suffered during a Luther football game in 2010. So he has organized "The SCI CAN Project"--the Spinal Cord Injury Christopher Anderson Norton Foundation.

Norton tells decorahnews.com he wants to raise enough money to buy at least one $25,000 RT300 leg and arm bike.  He has been using one of the bikes as part ofhis physical therapy.  He knows the recumbent bicycles are effective in helping people to recover from spinal cord injuries.  But the cost of his bike was paid through insurance provided to Luther College football players through the NCAA and Norton knows not everyone is fortunate enough to have such an "extraordinary"insurance policy.

Besides, he says, his recumbent bike right now is the only one of its kind in all of Northeast Iowa. That means patients have had to go elsewhere to use the recumbent bike.

Chris tells decorahnews.com that he takes the recumbent bike out for a ride several times each week. Just being outside in Decorah improves his spirits, but the resistance provided by the bike also has improved his stamina.  Chris says the recumbent bicycle has also been proven to help patients with cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis.

To publicize his new organization and to raise money to buy a recumbent bike, Norton has scheduled the first annual "Decorah Tour" on Sunday,September 30th.  Between 1:00p.m. to 4:00 p.m. there will be information tables set up at the Decorah Fish Hatchery, Winneshiek Medical Center and Decorah WalMart.  Sponsors, including WMC, Luther College,Lynch Barbecue, Euro Team and Winnehiek County Public Health, will have tents set up along the trail providing free brats, chips, water and other food.  There will also be bracelets and t-shirts for sale and collection boxes for donations.  At 4:30 p.m. at Winneshiek Medical Center, Chris will make some remarks.

For more information about the September 30th event, visit http://www.luther.edu/scican/