IM ABLE Foundation

IM ABLE was founded in Wyomissing, PA in 2007 by Chris Kaag, ten years after he had a life-changing moment. I was 21 years old serving our country in the US Marine Corps. Everything changed in 1997 when I was sent to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The eventual diagnosis was AMN (adrenomyeloneuropathy), a degenerative nerve condition that cut short my career in the military. Over those nine weeks at Walter Reed, and in the years since, the diagnosis could have consumed me, defined me. I still remember seeing kids hooked up to all sorts of machines. Seeing parents and siblings by their sides, questioning what their future would look like. It rocked me to my core. I wanted to hug all of them. It was then that I realized a new purpose. I chose to show them that life wasnt over for us. We would need to adapt, but we could still achieve and accomplish incredible things.

In our 15 years of experience, the two most common obstacles that prevent people with challenges from being active are financial limitations and lack of opportunity. The mission to remove obstacles that prevent people from being active is accomplished by providing grants enabling people to purchase the adaptive equipment they need, as well as hosting event/program opportunities for people with challenges. IM ABLE athletes remove stigma within the community by raising awareness. We avoid using the word disabled, preferring adaptive because it doesn't frame a person as unable to participate, but instead recognizes that we need to figure out a way to do a task differently.

IM ABLE is a place where all participants are celebrated for what they can do. They dont get that everywhere. They get it here in abundance.

RU ABLE? Duathlon and 5K

Register to race - Race

Register to volunteer - Volunteer

The Duathlon is a race. Duathlon participants Run - Bike - Run through Wyomissing's beautiful Park System and Reading Boulevard. There are Spring and Olympic distances and a 5K only option.

There will be an adaptive equipment bike presentation to Sam M., a young girl who has all the enthusiasm for sports, but just needs the equipment to participate alongside her friends. Adaptive equipment is expensive! A bike for Sam costs over $4,500.

No matter the race, participants of all abilities push their limits. Funding from this event supports IM ABLE's mission to empower athletes with challenges throughout the year.

New this year, residents along the bike route (Reading Blvd) are being asked to host small gatherings of their friends to cheer on the racers from their front yard.

The challenge is for each party host to ask their friends to donate to IM ABLE and help empower adaptive athletes through sports.