Ann Borgstrom retired recently after a long career in Sweden’s public dental service. She and her husband downsized, moving to a small seaside town where she knew nobody. How could she make new friends?

Ann had volunteered most of her life, so she contacted the Red Cross and asked if they needed help. At first, she staffed their thrift store. Then she heard about a program called Wind in Your Hair — and immediately got excited.

Wind in Your Hair is a program that helps elderly disabled people get outdoors by taking them for rides on specially designed e-bikes. One or two passengers sit in front, belted in, helmeted, and tucked beneath blankets, while a trained volunteer pedals from behind. The idea has become so popular that programs like it are spreading across Sweden.

“My first time, someone accompanied me to show me the route, since I wasn’t familiar with the area,” Ann said. “Now I can do it by myself. Most of my passengers rarely get outdoors at all, so the fresh air is a big treat for them. So is riding along the oceanfront, through parks, and seeing the village itself.

“They really look forward to it, and many of them come over and over, so I get to know them.”

Of course, the rides only happen in good weather, not during Sweden’s long dark winters.

“It’s wonderful for people to see the flowers blooming in spring,” Ann said. “In summer, the streets and parks are crowded, and often our riders see people they know. It makes them so happy.”

The bikes themselves took a little getting used to.

“They aren’t hard to steer, but they are big and wide. We have to be careful going past branches on narrow paths and avoid routes meant only for pedestrians. The bikes also have different gears, so you have to think ahead when approaching hills. It’s not difficult, and it doesn’t make me tired. You just have to pay attention.”

But perhaps the greatest surprise was what the experience gave Ann herself.

“The people who pedal get together frequently, and I’ve made some good friends that way.”

More Friends at Language Café

Another volunteer opportunity opened up through the Language Café at the public library. Immigrants and other newcomers drop in on Thursday afternoons to practice speaking Swedish with local residents.

“I’ve gotten to know people from practically everywhere — Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Ukraine, Syria, and more,” Ann said. “They are new here, just like I am. So it’s good for everybody.”

Like many Red Cross programs, the Language Café requires no major commitment. Volunteers simply show up when they are able.

“That means I can still travel whenever I want,” Ann said with a laugh, “especially to see my two new grandbabies!”

Ann Discovers Wind in Her Hair