Red Creek Middle School Student Launches Water Bike Rental Business

June 9, 2022 - It’s not every day you see a child go into business for themselves. Fourteen-year-old Madison Leszczynski, an 8^th-grade student at Red Creek Middle School, did just that by creating Fair Haven Water Bikes.

Madison came up with the idea while on a family reunion trip in Buffalo back in 2020. Madison saw people riding water bikes on the lake. “My father had mentioned how much fun it looked,” Madison said. “So, I told him it would be really cool if we could bring them to Fair Haven.”

That’s when Madison’s drive and passion for business kicked in. Born into a family of entrepreneurs, Madison has seen firsthand what a dream and support from a family can do. She began pitching the idea to her parents and other local businesses to bringing water bikes to Fair Haven.

After a full summer of testing, planning, and building relationships in the business community, Madison now has a fleet of water bikes available for anyone inspired to visit the bay she calls home. “Our community has so much to offer, and I felt this was the perfect way to allow people to experience everything,” Madison said. 

Madison has cultivated relationships with Turtle Cove Resort & Marina, Little Sodus Inn, Colloca Winery, and Pleasant Beach, to all be water bike friendly stops. Each establishment has designated docking areas for water bikes to encourage patrons to stop for a bite to eat while on their adventure. “All the local business owners have been so supportive of me and making my dream come true,” Madison said. “I can’t thank them enough.”

Red Creek Middle School principal Matthew VanOrman says it’s always great to see students achieving their dream, “When I spoke with her about her idea, I could just see the passion and excitement she had to make this a reality,” VanOrman said. “It’s amazing to see a student so resilient at such a young age and taking on those responsibilities.”

Red Creek Central School District Superintendent Dr. Corey says he is proud of Madison and all that she has achieved so far, “It’s encouraging to see someone at such a young age positively contributing to our community. Madison has our full support in her current endeavor and will undoubtedly be very successful.”

Madison is currently operating Fair Haven Water Bikes part-time until school lets out for the summer. She is accepting daily bookings for 90-minute sessions, half-day or full-day rentals. Madison says this is just the beginning, “As we grow, we hope to add more bikes so that even more people can have a good time and enjoy our community.”

If you would like to book your own adventure on ‘The Bay’, visit www.fh-rentals.com. You can also follow Fair Haven Water Bikes on Facebook and Instagram.