fbpx

Posts

group_smallThe Ukrainian Institute of America hosted a charity fundraiser in New York City on Dec. 10, 2004, to offer hope and independence to physically disabled residents of Ukraine who badly need a wheelchair but cannot afford one. All proceeds went to the Wheelchair Foundation.

Libby Pataki, the First Lady of New York and a supporter of the Wheelchair Foundation mission, was in attendance to show her support of the Foundation, Ukrainian Americans and the Ukrainian people in their fight for democracy.

The fundraiser was the direct result of a Wheelchair Foundation presentation earlier in the year on the real need for wheelchairs in Ukraine. Orysia Dmytrenko, who coordinated the fund-raising event, was particularly impressed that the Foundation provides a very concrete way to help disabled people with a tangible gift of mobility.

Previously, the Wheelchair Foundation had made a significant effort to bring wheelchairs to disabled people in Ukraine, in part due to the county’s high number of disabled residents and its extreme shortage of usable wheelchairs. The Foundation then decided to turn to the Ukrainian community in the United States to partner with them in this charitable mission.

Ms. Dmytrenko worked closely with the Ukrainian Institute of America to host the event, which was co-sponsored by the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America. More than 150 Ukrainians from all over the New York area turned out to show support to their countrymen.

If you would like to be part of this project help disabled people of all ages in Ukraine, please contact the Wheelchair Foundation toll free at (877) 378-3839.

columbus_marathon_smallRyan Stroud will fulfill his NEW Years Resolution to LOSE 200,000 pounds in 2005.

In an effort to inspire others Ryan Stroud will begin a journey of extreme proportions.  On April 18, 2005 he will run the Boston Marathon and will continue to run 30 miles per day until he reaches Cincinnati, Ohio.  The goal for this journey is to sign up enough people to lose 200,000 pounds in 2005.  Not only will this effort benefit those of us who should run, it will also benefit those who can’t run. Ryan’s company Slimgreen, a daily dietary supplement for healthy living, will donate all proceeds raised on Ryan’s run to the Wheelchair Foundation in an effort to help those deprived of mobility throughout the world. Help Ryan help others to lose unwanted weight as well as grant the gift of mobility. To sign up for Ryan’s weight loss program or to donate to the wheelchair foundation please print, fill out, and mail in this form.

Ryan was recently featured in the Sports Illustrated “Faces in the Crowd” section with the following information:

Ryan Stroud
HARRISON, OHIO
Stroud, 34, president of a company that sells nutritional supplements and programs, ran 931.3 miles in 33 days, beginning with the Boston Marathon and continuing with a run from Boston to the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, to raise $20,000 for the Wheelchair Foundation

man_recipient_pretoria_smallOn Sunday the 30th of January 2005 a group of Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Pretoria went to the Modisha (part of Moretele) Association for the Disabled (close to Winterveldt) in South Africa in order to hand over 12 wheelchairs to needy recipients.

Thank you very much to Rotary International, the Wheelchair Foundation, and all who were instrumental in making this possible.

Click on the image to the right or the link below to see a slideshow of this distribution of wheelchairs.

What a happy occasion it was for this American couple Don Bennion (left) and Marlene (right) last Saturday (December 18) when they were able to gift a wheelchair to this 104 years centenarian M. P. Mary Nona in the HealthWatch coordinated Prof. Colvin Goonaratna Centenarian Study.

The presentation took place at the Malwana Home of the centenarian in Kelaniya, amidst her family gathering which included fourteen children, grand and great grandchildren.  Mr. and Mrs. Bennion are volunteer members of the Latter Day Saint (LDS) Charities of the United States, which together with the Wheelchair Foundation of the States made the donation. 

Mr. Bennion, a retired electronic engineer in Utah in the States said this was the first time in his life that he had met a centenarian. The oldest person he had met up to now had been a 90 year-old uncle of his.  Mr. Bennion, who feels honoured to have been able to gift a wheelchair to this centenarian, is amazed at her health status, even at this centenarian stage in her life, where she can clearly see without glasses, and thinking not impaired.

The Bennions greatly admired the way the centenarians children and young grandchildren were caring and looking after her. They felt that this is something that should be emulated by families in the developed world.  Mr. Bennion said, “What a blessing it is to have a centenarian in a family, and the rare opportunity to have to care for them and look into their needs. There is nothing greater on this earth than human life.”

The Bennions highly commended the HealthWatch coordinated Prof. Colvin Goonaratna Centenarian Study project.

2Container_300On Thursday, the 30th of December 2004, Rotary in Action Distract 9250 unloaded a Container filled with 287 Wheelchairs destined for three Pretoria Rotary Clubs. The wheelchairs were for a distribution among needy recipients in South Africa. After a long journey, these wheelchairs are being given to people whose lives will be changed by being grated the gift of mobility.