The Wheelchair foundation has joined forces yet again with the Rotary club to distribute more than 200 wheelchairs to persons in need across the country. A handing over ceremony which happened to coincide with the Christmas season of giving was held today and Jomarie Lanza was there:
Since 2000 the Wheelchair Foundation has been distributing wheelchairs to needy persons across many different countries, including Belize.
Jeff Behring the son of Kenneth Behring the founder of the association told us today that they've decided to make one last contribution for the year just in time for Christmas, donating a total of 216 wheelchairs to be distributed by the rotary club of Belize.
Jeff Behring, Wheelchair foundation
"We do lots of partnerships through people all over the world really and Glenn Mather who is our partner, with this delivery of wheelchairs is from Florida he's a good friend of mine which started with the wheelchair foundation as far as 2004. He was an angel partner of ours which means that he was a really great donor, and help and a supporter of the wheelchair foundation."
"I've been to Belize three times with wheelchairs mostly through CISCO woods which is another incredible partner of ours, a part of the rotary. And the rotary clubs here in Belize has been a tremendous asset for us because we need to get the wheelchairs out to the people. And God says you got to love your neighbor as yourself and I tell you there's no better way to show love and compassion than being able to get somebody's mobility and dignity."
"We always do containers of wheelchairs and it depends what makeup of wheelchairs you have. The wheelchairs we brought here to Belize have big knobby tires for rough terrain. And we brought 260 wheelchairs. If you go with a hospital style which you use in the downtown city area you'd get more wheelchairs but for your need we thought that the knobby tires were a better choice."
Once the wheelchairs are in the country, the Rotary Club is then tasked to find individuals who are in need and qualify to receive one of them. Some persons attended today's event to receive a replacement chair
Katherine Meighan, President, Rotary club of Belize
"So this is a partnership that has been longstanding I'm not sure if you recognize but there were a couple of persons that came for replacement chairs and they haven't had a new chair in quite some time so in more than five years I would say. And so we are happy to have them come back down and support us. Wheelchairs we know are very much in demand in Belize and being able to get wheeelchairs at various sizes and in this quantity is not so often and of course all of this is a giveaway we are not charging for the wheelchairs ultimately. And in terms of quantity we are looking at over 200 to score around and so we are incredibly appreciative of chair the love and also the wheelchairs foundation as well."
One of the recipients, a former fisherman, told us today how the wheelchair will be of use to him:
James Young, Former Seaman
"Ive been using wheelchairs for about 50 years, yeah It will help me to get around in the house I live there because its a four bedroom and I can move this around good."
