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District 5170 Tri-Valley Evening Rotary Helping Provide Literacy and Mobility in Guatemala

Contributed by Sara Ennor and Glenn Tupper – Photos Glenn Tupper

The Tri-valley Evening Rotary’s Guatemala Wheelchair Distribution and Literacy Project 2023 aimed to provide mobility and promote literacy in Guatemala. The project distributed over 140 wheelchairs to poor and indigenous people in Guatemala City, Antigua, and surrounding villages with the help of experienced Rotarians and local clubs.

Norberta Sanchez Alvarez (above) is a 55-year-old polio survivor who has been confined to a basement room her entire life. Her father is her primary caregiver.  She was a seamstress and her father runs a small store to earn some money for food. Glenn donated a wheelchair that was the first-ever shot at mobility for her. Glenn spent time with her, held her hand, and told her she was loved.

Hugo Leonel Pineda is a 23-year-old who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident. He is recovering at his mom’s house in a bare room. He was working in carpentry before the accident.

Santos Xingo Gomez is a 7-year old who is deformed from the waist down, suffers from severe metal disability, and has frequent outbursts of anger. His mother has two other children and on the way. A wheelchair is a big help for her.

Demetrio Hernandez Lopez is an 81-year-old man who lives in a shack and was injured in a ladder accident 24 years ago. He is paid to watch over a property and keep vagrants/squatters away. His wife died three years ago from an infection sustained in a traffic accident. He has a super busted up wheelchair that he manages to drag with his feet. Receiving a new wheelchair is a life-changing event and will better allow Demetrio to exist with greater ease. He is a kind gentleman with a sweet smile. – Glenn Tupper

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A Holiday Message From Wheelchair Foundation President, David Behring

Dear Friends,

As I write my annual holiday letter, l am impressed at how far the world has progressed regarding COVID-19 compared just one year ago. Hospitalization and fatality rates have plunged, and we are gaining a much better understanding of this complicated disease. Most of the world is no longer afraid to visit friends, go to work, or travel. Although China still follows a “zero tolerance” protocol, it remains the exception rather than the rule. Globally, we are learning to “live with COVID-19” and continue to lead as normal of a life as we can.

youngboyinwheelchair

At Wheelchair Foundation, we are excited to be traveling to distributions because it is so important to be with wheelchair recipients and their families as they receive your much-needed Gifts of Mobility. Many of our donors and partners have made recent trips to Latin America and Africa. In early August, over 20 college classmates and I returned from a week-long trip to Peru, having joined with a dozen local Rotarians from Lima, who have acted as our partners and hosts since we started making this trek in 2002. During that week, we changed the lives of 500 individuals in towns in the high Andes that most people have never heard of due to their remote locations. Following International guidelines and the overall concern and safety for everyone, we wore N95 masks at the wheelchair distributions; I will say there is no substitute for the gratitude you receive from recipient families as they celebrate the instantly improved life of their loved ones. You might not have seen the physical smiles, but you could certainly detect the emotion in their eyes.

In the last week of September, 22 American Rotarians and I completed five distributions in Romania and Serbia. Again, we partnered with local Rotarians in those two countries, helping the physically disabled that do not have access to a wheelchair. Over 1,600,000 Ukrainians have passed through Romania since Russia invaded their country, with nearly 90,000 now calling Romania home. We anticipated that a relatively large number of these refugees would need wheelchairs; we were not prepared for just how great the need was. We delivered over 1,000 wheelchairs to children and adults in those two countries and your donations will continue to support individuals there and those around the world that lack the basic human right of mobility.

We launched Wheelchair Foundation in June 2000 with a ask of $150 to sponsor a new wheelchair. Despite many manufacturing and shipping price increases, we were able to maintain that level for 22 years. However, with the recent global rise in shipping and manufacturing costs, we are unable to provide wheelchairs at that amount, and the new price for a wheelchair will be $200 starting on October 1, 2022. If an individual or organization wishes to sponsor container quantities of wheelchairs, we will continue our policy of matching our partners dollar-for-dollar. In short, the donor contributes $28,000, and we grant the other $28,000. We thank you for your loyal support in helping us deliver over 1,160,000 wheelchairs across the globe, it is an incredible achievement that we can all take pride in.

Choose the gift of mobility this holiday season by dedicating gifts to your friends and family and sponsoring wheelchairs in the name, honor or memory of someone you love. For your donation of $200, you will receive a beautiful presentation folder with a photo of a recipient, and a personalized certificate thanking or honoring that special person in your life.

With your gift of $100 or more, we will send you a white triple-function pen with flashlight and stylus as a reminder of your generous donation. As an additional token of our appreciation, we will include our insulated grocery tote along with our 6xflip, 5000mah power bank, when you generously donate $500 or more.

No shopping, wrapping or shipping! Simply call us directly at 877.378.3839, or donate right here through our website. If you choose to send your donations in via traditional mail, send them to Wheelchair Foundation, 3820 Blackhawk Road, Danville, CA 94506. Please make your donations by December 10th to allow sufficient time for us to prepare and mail your customized presentation folders.

We at the Wheelchair Foundation are exceedingly grateful for your decision to provide the gift of mobility and allow us to continue the mission of reaching those in need around the world. Thank you for your generous support for those who are less fortunate than we are.

Happy Holidays!

Give The Gift of Mobility Today!
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ROYAL COUPLE OF SERBIA DELIVERS WHEELCHAIRS FOR SERBIAN INSTITUTIONS

Belgrade, 25 September 2022 – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine delivered today 55 wheelchairs for institutions and organizations across Serbia, in presence of HE Christopher Hill, the Ambassador of the United States of America, and the donors, at the White Palace. This is the continuation of Their Royal Highnesses’ long-time support to institutions and organizations in Serbia, and the needs of people with disabilities.

This valuable donation was made possible thanks to the Wheelchair Foundation which has for many years supported the efforts of Their Royal Highnesses to provide aid to the people of Serbia, the President of the Foundation, Mr. David Behring, and the tremendous generosity of the US Rotary members from Northern California and the Los Angeles / San Diego area, who raised necessary funds for this project. In addition to the wheelchairs, Crown Princess also delivered toys for children with disabilities today.

The total number of 270 wheelchairs is designated for Serbia, with a total value of more than USD 150,000, from which 215 wheelchairs will be delivered by Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation for Uzice Health Centre and Old People’s Home in Belgrade, and Crown Princess Katherine’s Foundation distributed 55 wheelchairs to representatives of 8 institutions today. The delivery was organized in the White Palace and attended by HE Christopher Hill, with his wife Mrs. Julie Hill, Prof. Dr. Alexander Ljubic from the Royal Medical Board, and members of the US Rotary whose generosity made this possible, led by Mr. Richard Flanders, District Governor of Rotary club, who also addressed today and spoke about the humanitarian activities of the Club.

HRH Crown Prince Alexander, as the host, addressed the people present, highlighting the great importance of this donation, which will provide much-needed relief to anyone using a wheelchair. His Royal Highness expressed his gratitude to Mr. Behring, the Wheelchair Foundation, and US Rotary, for their significant contribution, and for them recognizing the significance of Crown Princess Katherine and her Foundation’s work and efforts.

HE Mr. Christopher Hill commended Her Royal Highness and her Foundation for all the aid they are providing for the people of Serbia. He also said that these great efforts are much appreciated and will bring more benefits to those that need help the most in the future.

Mr. Behring, President of the Wheelchair Foundation, in his speech said that he is very happy to continue the work of his father, previous President of the Foundation, who started cooperation with Crown Princess Katherine for the good of the people of Serbia. Great cooperation between the Wheelchair Foundation and Crown Princess Katherine’s Foundation is longer than a decade – the first donation was in 2006 when together they provided 280 wheelchairs for the medical institutions in Serbia. Crown Prince and Crown Princess are very proud that, for many years now, they are members of the Board of Advisors of the Wheelchair Foundation.

“Wheelchairs are means of living for people with disabilities; they are a necessity for them so they can work, perform everyday responsibilities, and have an independent life. And it is very important to provide wheelchairs to people who can not afford them themselves.

In addition to helping the institutions and organizations, we also want to remind the public of the difficulties that people with disabilities have in their everyday life. That is why it is very important for more people to get involved in this cause, in order to raise the awareness of society. Only in this way, when we are united to support them, we can provide a brighter future for children and persons with disabilities. I want to see them as equal members of society, and I am sure you all share my opinion.

Many great people have made great achievements and contributions to the world and humanity from wheelchairs. Many people are changing the world for the better in wheelchairs, whose achievements will be celebrated in the future. These silent heroes, millions in the world and thousands in Serbia, who care and earn for themselves and their families, deserve our help and support”, stated HRH Crown Princess Katherine.

The facilities which received donations are: Special Psychiatric Hospital “Gornja Toponica”, Association for cerebral and children’s palsy of Serbia, Home for children and persons with difficulties in intellectual development “Dr. Nikola Sumenković”, Stamnica, Home for children and youth without parental care “Hristina Markesic”, Aleksinac, Home for protection of children, infants and youth Zvecanska, Belgrade, Elementary school “The 6th October”, Kikinda, Home for Accommodation of Elderly Kulina, and Association for providing support to families with children with developmental difficulties “Sidro” from Kragujevac.

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Chair The Love Delivers Wheelchairs To Bahamas

We received the amazing story and photos below from Glen Mather and our partners from ChairTheLove.org in Florida.

It’s Just a Wheelchair Like Any Other

“The hurricanes last year have turned our Bahamian Islands upside down, and we have a desperate need for wheelchairs”.   We got the e-mail back in November 2020, right in the teeth of Covid-19.  The ability to distribute the wheelchairs with our donors was not possible, but we could feel the desperation in their message.

The note came from the area Rotarians, always willing to help and partner with Chair the Love worldwide to assist us in providing mobility to the neediest.  Unable to ignore their plea, our generous donors, combined with others from the Wheelchair Foundation, pulled together the funds to purchase an entire container of Wheelchairs (280), to be delivered directly from the factory to the Bahamas.

Because large crowds were discouraged by Covid restrictions, the chairs were given out, many just one-by-one, at the homes of the recipients.  Our Rotarian friends provided to Chair the Love a continual stream of photos, each one more touching than the last.

Prince William pushing a boy in a wheelchairOne of the distributions resulted in two chairs winding up at the Grand Bahama Children’s Home in Freeport.  This amazing facility provides for 32 children from infants to 14 whose parents are unable to care for their development or physical needs.  It is there that our donated Wheelchair and the dear young boy sitting in it met the Prince, yes Prince William.

It seems that the Prince, together with Princess Kate were in the Bahamas for a goodwill tour of several Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean.   Evidently, Prince William was as taken as we were at Chair the Love with this young man and his joy.  The story and photos were featured in news features both on Yahoo and Fox News.

It just served to underscore the impact that each one of our donors have to change the lives of others, mostly outside the purview of a Prince and Princess.

These are the same faces we see on every distribution, and due to many of you, we will give thousands more this year the same gift of mobility.

DONATE TODAY

Prince William speaking with a young boy in a wheelchair

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Thank You For Your Support

All of us at Wheelchair Foundation are exceedingly grateful for your continued support throughout this year, which has continued to prove challenging for many people. Due to your continued support in being one of our partners in mobility along with your generous contributions, we were able to complete a number of distributions to different parts of the world including right here in the United States as well as Ecuador, Venezuela, Uganda, and more. With your generosity, we were able to provide nearly 10,000 wheelchairs to individuals in need! Below are just a couple of stories from recipients that we were able to deliver mobility to in 2021.

A few weeks ago Wheelchair Foundation received an e-mail from someone here in the United States saying they had a relative in Venezuela with a six-year-old son named Abraham who has Cerebral Palsy and needed a wheelchair. We contacted Federica, one of our in-country partners in Venezuela, who happened to be receiving our next container of wheelchairs in early December. On December 22, Federica delivered the wheelchair just in time for Christmas providing not only young Abraham (pictured left) with the basic right of mobility with his new wheelchair, but with the gift of hope to move around freely.

We traveled to Ecuador and met Jorge (pictured right), who had lost his right leg from diabetes. He was lucky enough to have adult children to care for him, for which he was so grateful. However, it can be an emotional burden as a parent to have to depend on your children. This man’s two adult children would share the responsibility because they both had children of their own and they had to work to support not just their families, but their father as well. The man did not hold back his tears as we lifted him into his new wheelchair. “Now I do not have to rely on my children for everything.” He said between sobs. The emotional burden was lightened for this man on that day. He was now able to do many things on his own, and his children were free to work to better support their families. ~In the photo, Left: Cody Christman, back: Craig Fryer, right: Heather Schomaker

If you’ve already donated, THANK YOU!! This is a gentle reminder that you have a couple of more chances to make a tax-deductible donation for 2021

Thank you again for your support, it’s been an honor to serve with you.

Sincerely,

Wheelchair Foundation

Make Your 2021 Tax-Deductible Donation Here

P.S. Want to make a 2021 tax-deductible donation via check, but concerned it won’t get to us in time? No worries! Any donations in envelopes postmarked by 12/31 will count as a 2021 tax-deductible donation. Our address is listed at the bottom of this email.

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