A total of 25 persons from San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker Village will receive wheelchairs on Tuesday, December 6th at a ceremony to be held at the San Pedro Lions Den. The distribution of wheelchairs is thanks to a donation by the Wheelchair Foundation of California in the United States. The event is scheduled to start at 6:30PM, and will include the presence of Mayor Daniel Guerrero and Glenn Perry from the Wheelchair Foundation.
According to Brenda Letendre from the Belize Red Cross San Pedro Branch, this is the third time the Foundation has donated wheelchairs to Belizeans in need. The last donation was done in 2009. This year, a total of 260 wheelchairs were brought to Belize to be distributed countrywide through the various Rotary Clubs. “25 of these were destined for both islands,” she said. “We understand that not everyone will be able to attend the ceremony and in that case, we will deliver the chairs to their homes. In the case of Caye Caulker, the three recipients will receive their chairs during the week of December the 5th.”
Letendre indicated that the selection process to identify individuals in need of chairs began in August of 2015. “At the initial meeting here in San Pedro, the officials with the Foundation asked us to help organize the distribution of wheelchairs on Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker,” said Letendre. “Starting in August 2016, all medical staff on both islands were contacted for names of people they knew needed a wheelchair.” The medical staff, along with health workers and the community, submitted the names.
The total cost for this year’s donation is $78,000BZ. “We feel that we have found those that are in most need of a wheelchair,” ended Lentendre.
The Wheelchair Foundation raises money and distributes free wheelchairs around the world. Up to date, the Foundation has distributed over 1 million wheelchairs throughout the world. The non-profit organization leads an international effort, creating awareness of the needs and abilities of people with physical disabilities. Through their work they hope to promote the joy of giving, create global friendship, and most importantly to deliver a wheelchair to every person who is in need and cannot afford it.
International Wheelchair Foundation to donate 25 chairs to SP and Caye Caulker
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