Thursday, August 25, 2011

Foundation for Roanoke Valley Purchases Floating Beach Wheelchair for the Community


Foundation for Roanoke Valley announced today that it has awarded a $2,150 grant from its Community Catalyst Funds to Blue Ridge Independent Living Center (BRILC) for the purchase of a “Mobi-Chair,” which is a floating beach wheelchair.

According to the chair’s maker Deschamps, the Mobi-Chair is a “high-quality, amphibious rolling beach chair that provides a seamless transition from boardwalk-to beach-to water.”  It is designed for wheelchair users, people with special needs and children, is convenient, portable and comfortable, and provides easy mobility through sand.

Alan Ronk, the Foundation’s Executive Director, noted:  “In doing online research for a donor on another project, I came across a video for the Mobi-Chair and was immediately struck by its design and purpose – to enable adults or children who have mobility impairments or special needs to have the same experiences at the beach as the rest of the family.  This chair can provide the very first opportunity for someone to play in the ocean or lake water, rather than always having to be a spectator.”

Ronk added:  “In looking for a grantee partner, it was a natural fit for the Foundation to select the Blue Ridge Independent Living Center.  The Center’s longstanding mission is to assist people with disabilities to live independently, and the folks there provide terrific and vital services to many families throughout our region.”

Karen Michalski-Karney, BRILC’s Executive Director, said:  “The Mobi-Chair brings a wonderful new resource to our agency.  One of my staff has already notified a family we serve, and they are very excited that their daughter may finally get to go into the water on their annual beach trip.  We expect to see that excitement play out with lots of families over the coming years.”   

Families interested in using the chair should contact BRILC at 540-342-1231 (v/tty) for further information, eligibility and availability.  It is important to note that although the Mobi-Chair floats, it is not a boat.  The sitting position is stable, and users should not slip out under normal conditions of use.  However, for safety reasons, a life jacket is still required for non-swimmers (and may be required by law), and the chair is not intended for areas with currents or strong waves.

Foundation for Roanoke Valley is the community foundation serving this region.  The Foundation has worked for more than two decades to administer and make grants from hundreds of named endowment funds on behalf of the community.  For more information, visit Foundation for Roanoke Valley’s website at www.foundationforroanokevalley.org or call 985-0204. # # #

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