Wheelchair Foundation - Fall 2006 Newsletter

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C H A N G E A L IF E ...

the spirit of giving

Changing

We’ve had some wonder-ful fundraising events thelast four months. I havehad a great time attend-ing our events and wantto thank everyoneinvolved in putting themtogether. I am amazed atall of the time and effortthat goes into each andevery event. It is all

worth it because over the past four months we've raised over $1million which will go toward sponsoring over 13,000 wheelchairsto countries throughout the world.

Over the period of the next month, many of you will attend holidayevents and will also share quality time with your families. I lookforward to spending time with my family and the opportunity toexpress my thanks for all that they do for me. The holidays are atime of year to reflect and give thanks for all that we've been given.

With the holidays and year-end upon us, I would like to invite youto make a donation to support those who are in desperate need of awheelchair. At this annual time of gift giving the question is oftenasked, “What did you get?” I would like to change one word in thisfamiliar statement. And by changing this one word you will cap-ture the vision of what this time of year is all about. Rather thanasking others, “What did you get?” change the word “get” to theword “give” and ask others, “What did you give?”

This will probably catch some people off guard, and it might evencause them to reflect on, and realize, what the holidays are reallyall about. “The Spirit of Giving” is the title of this newsletter andit is that spirit that has brought so much joy and happiness into mylife. I would like to invite you to feel the joy of giving this holidayseason by sponsoring a single wheelchair for $75, or an entire con-tainer of 280 wheelchairs for $21,000. Your generous donation willgive someone else the gift of hope, mobility, and freedom. Afterall, the spirit of giving is what truly makes this time of year so spe-cial.

Sincerely,

Kenneth E. BehringFounder & Chairman

A M ESSAGE FROMKEN BEHRING

A B O U T U S

2 Fall 2006 w heelchairfoundation.org

Changing the W orldis published by theW heelchair Foundation,3820 Blackhawk Road,Danville, California94506 USA. Copyright2006 W heelchairFoundation. All rightsreserved. Sum m er2006 Issue. W ritten andedited by Joel Hodge,Program Director.Contributing writers:Christiana Flessner,M att M ontague, ChrisLewis. Design/Layout byM att Newm an.

O ur M ission

The W heelchair Foundation is a nonprofit organ-

ization leading an international effort to create

awareness of the needs and abilities of people

with physical disabilities, to prom ote the joy of

giving, create global friendship, and to deliver a

wheelchair to every child, teen and adult in the

world who needs one, but cannot afford one. For

these people, the W heelchair Foundation deliv-

ers Hope, M obility and Freedom .

Our Goal

O ver the next five years, the W heelchair

Foundation aim s to deliver one m illion wheel-

chairs to people who cannot afford to buy one,

and to further the awareness that a wheelchair

is no longer an unaffordable relief option for

delivery to developing countries around the

world.

M obility

Since its establishm ent on June 13, 2000, the

W heelchair Foundation has witnessed tens of

thousands of exam ples of how m obility creates

independence and new possibilities for recipi-

ents and their fam ilies. A m obile child is able to

attend school. A m obile adult is able to get a job

and provide for their fam ily, or care for the chil-

dren at hom e so the spouse can work. An eld-

erly person can rejoin society or fam ily activities

after years of staying in a bed. The joy and hope

that a sim ple m obility device can deliver is what

gives people a new outlook on life and hope for

the future.mis

sion

and

goal

s

Contact Us

W heelchair Foundation (877) 378-3839 – info@ wheelchairfoundation.org

W heelchair Foundation Canada (866) 666-2411– info@ wheelchairfoundation.ca

W heelchair Foundation Australia (13) 0076 0581 – info@ wheelchairfoundation.org.au

W heelchair Foundation UK (44) 1 937 580 725 – info@ wheelchairfoundation.org.uk

www.wheelchairfoundation.org

The past four months the Wheelchair Foundation has had several first-class events which have been a lot of fun and very successful. Thecombined gross income is roughly $1 million. Below are some photos and brief summaries from these fundraising events. We hope tohave more events sponsored around the world with the proceeds to benefit the Wheelchair Foundation. If you have any questions or wouldlike to put on an event to benefit the Foundation, please contact us at [email protected]. Also, please join us for ourupcoming “USO Song and Dance Show” event in Boston, Massachusetts on November 12.

2nd Annual McCovey’s Invitational - July 10, 2006Willie McCovey stepped up to the plate this year by reaching out to many of his former team-

mates to support the McCovey’s Invitational event. Ten San Francisco Giants players, past andpresent, were in attendance and participated in the tournament this year. After enjoying a niceround of golf, everyone gathered into the clubhouse for an elegant dinner, silent and live auction,and awards ceremony. The Wheelchair Foundation thanks Willie McCovey, Dudum SportsEntertainment, the Junior Giants organization, and the title sponsor, The Lee Brandenburg FamilyFoundation, for the partnership that has been established with the Wheelchair Foundation.

Majestic Evening of Hope - July 28, 2006A crowd of approximately 250 people attended “A Majestic Evening of Hope” to support

Wheelchair Foundation, Lifeline Humanitarian Organization, Group Seven Children’sFoundation, and Peja Stojakovic Children’s Foundation. The highlight of the evening occurredwhen two determined live auction bidders paid $14,000 each for a beautiful framed and auto-graphed photo of NBA All-Stars Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic, who were both in attendanceat the event. The Wheelchair Foundation is looking forward to doing more work with these foun-dations to provide wheelchairs to people in desperate need throughout Eastern Europe. TheFoundation is indebted to the Niles Rotary Club of Fremont, California for all of their help andsupport in putting this event together, especially Steven Lloyd.

5th Annual Brentwood Golf Tournament - August 15, 2006With a sold out tournament and vendors on every hole, the 5th Annual Drive for Mobility Golf

Tournament was another fun-filled day of golf. At the event dinner that evening, a raffle was heldfor the option of a brand new Honda car from Berkeley Honda or $13,000 cash. Michael Beinkeheld the winning ticket and chose to donate the $13,000 to Joey Bozik, a triple amputee U.S. sol-dier who had been seriously wounded in the war in Iraq. The Wheelchair Foundation would liketo acknowledge Ken Haggerty from Washington Mutual Home Loans, the title sponsor of the tour-nament, as well as Pete Petrovich and Matt Beinke, event Co-Chairmen, and their committee.

Rockin' H Ranch - October 14, 2006Sid and Gigi Hendricks were wonderful hosts and had the day filled with non-stop action. It all

started with a boat and water-ski show early in the afternoon, along with hors d’oeuvres, wine tast-ing, and a silent auction. The crowd of nearly 300 gathered around to watch a world class airshowfeaturing aerobatics by Kent Pietsch. After the airshow, everyone met at the hanger to enjoy anarchery show by Bob Markworth and a first-class dinner provided by Scott’s Seafood Restaurant.The night concluded with a live auction that brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars, andeveryone enjoyed dancing to the music of Big Bang Beat Orchestra. The Wheelchair Foundationappreciates Sid & Gigi Hendricks, Ray Gallagher, and Lyle Schneider for sponsoring the event.

Wheel & Grace - October 21, 2006The Wheelchair Foundation would like to commend Thu Do, Executive Director of VNHelp,

and all those who served on the 2006 Wheel & Grace committee. Approximately 300 people fromaround the San Francisco Bay Area came to support the event. Proceeds benefitted the physical-ly disabled in Vietnam. Van-Anh Vo entertained the audience with her zither in harmony withTaiko drums. The talk of the night was the stunning Ao Dai Fashion Show. The Vietnamese out-fits were amazing, and the models for the fashion show included Miss Asian America, MissVietnamese Northern California, and others.

S U P P O R TE R S

w heelchairfoundation.org C hanging the W orld 3

G etting Involved… .Plan an Event


WheelsSix years ago Andronico’s Market in Danville, California

stopped hosting their Tuesday night wine tasting. Who knewthat this seemingly insignificant and random act would spawn

a phenomenon that is today known as “Wine for Wheels?”As it would happen, a disappointed group of nine friends; Val and

Belia Nunes, Mike and Blanca McKean, Tom Delaney, MarkDewitt, and Jeff Behring, who were out to enjoy an evening togeth-er, would end up having dinner at the home of Bill and KathyArendt, in what would turn out to be the very first Wine for Wheelsgathering. This would go on to become a bi-weekly happening inwhich friends would get together, share a glass of wine, and pooltheir money to sponsor wheelchairs for people in need through thethen-fledgling Wheelchair Foundation.

One of these initial nine, Jeff Behring, fourth son of Ken andPatricia Behring, had been volunteering his time sorting through andcataloguing photographs of wheelchair recipients being returnedfrom around the world. “Seeing the pictures of the people who weregetting wheelchairs inspired me to get more involved and helped merealize that what we were doing (at Wheelchair Foundation) wasvery cool.”

Jeff continued, “I had done some charity work with the AmericanCancer Society and Make a Wish Foundation in the past when wewere doing construction, and learned that lots of people get involvedwith charity for false reasons. I feel that I’ve been given a very spe-cial opportunity to help others, and it’s neat! Wine for Wheels kindof grew out of nothing and it isn’t intended to be a legacy, but rathera social gathering where friends can get together for a good cause.”

When asked which experience in his six years with WheelchairFoundation has impacted him most, Jeff relates a story of an old manhe encountered in Jamaica: “He arrived at the wheelchair distribu-tion and could hardly walk, his knees and legs were all messed up

and he had arthritis really bad and wasreally having a hard time gettingaround. I went to try and help himinto a wheelchair but he refused, andhe told me that he was only there toget a wheelchair for his wife who wasbedridden. I offered him two wheel-chairs, one for her and one for him,but he wouldn’t take two. He said thatif he had to sit in a wheelchair too, hewouldn't be able to push his wifearound and go for walks. It was moreimportant for him to care for his wifethan get assistance for himself. I havea lot of respect for the wheelchair

recipients. What I do (fundraising) is easy. What they go throughon a daily basis (without a wheelchair) is next to impossible, espe-cially for their spouses and caregivers.”

Wine for Wheels meetings have since become monthly events.The cost of admission; $25 per person and one bottle of wine percouple (“…although most people now give $75 at the door to spon-sor a wheelchair,” says Jeff). The group now takes turns hosting at

their homes, while other participants bring hors d’oeuvres and fin-ger foods. All proceeds go to the Wheelchair Foundation. Today,the core Wine for Wheels group is still participating in the monthlyevents, but the turnout has increased from the initial nine to 150 ormore. “At our big events we'll have anywhere from 150 to 400 peo-ple show up.” And there are many exciting events to participate inincluding the “Wigged Out” event in February, the annual “Wine forWheels Charity Ball” the first Saturday in March, the “KentuckyDerby” event that Jeff hosts at his house in May, or “Music on EagleRidge” at the Behring Estate in September, just to name a few.

If you would like more information about Wine for Wheels, or ifyou would like ideas on how to host an event to help supportWheelchair Foundation, you can e-mail Jeff when you visit the Winefor Wheels website at www.wineforwheels.org.

Wine for Wheels has played a part in sponsoring over 10,000wheelchairs to individuals in need in more than 20 countries aroundthe world and provided an avenue for individuals to donate overthree quarters of a million dollars to support the efforts ofWheelchair Foundation.

Wine for

W IN E FO R W H E E LS

“I’m always the first one to get to an event and

the last one to leave, but I don’t m ind. It's for

a good cause and I'm happy to help.”

K N IG H TS O F C O LU M B U S


On Oct. 2, 1881, a small group of menmet in the basement of St. Mary’sChurch on Hillhouse Avenue in New

Haven, Connecticut. Called together by their 29-year-old parishpriest, Father Michael J. McGivney, these men formed a fraternalsociety that would one day become the world's largest Catholic fam-ily fraternal service organization. They sought strength in solidarityand security through unity of purpose and devotion to a holy cause:they vowed to be defenders of their country, their families and theirfaith. These men were bound together by the ideal of ChristopherColumbus, the discoverer of the Americas, the one whose hand

brought Christianity to theNew World. Their effortscame to fruition with theincorporation of the Knightsof Columbus on March 29,1882.

The Knights of Columbusis a Catholic men's fraternalbenefit society that wasformed to render financialaid to members and theirfamilies. Social and intellec-tual fellowship is promotedamong members and theirfamilies through education-al, charitable, religious,social welfare, war reliefand public relief works.

The Knights have grown from severalmembers in one council to more than12,000 councils and 1.7 million members

throughout the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, theDominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the VirginIslands, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan.

Since 2003, the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus, ledby Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, has sponsored the delivery ofmore than 8,000 wheelchairs to recipients in Afghanistan, Jordan,Morocco, Poland, Mexico and the Philippines. In 2005-2006, theKnights of Columbus of California sponsored the delivery of 1,680wheelchairs to Mexico, Ecuador and Poland, and other states havesponsored hundreds more wheelchairs. Currently, over 20 states andCanadian provinces have named Wheelchair Foundation chairmenfor their mobility relief efforts.

In the Supreme Knight’s State of the Order Address in July of2006, Carl A. Anderson said, “I also encourage every council to con-sider supporting the work of the Wheelchair Foundation during thecoming year.” As a member of the Wheelchair Foundation'sInternational Board of Advisors since 2003, Mr. Anderson has beeninstrumental in exposing the humanitarian efforts of the WheelchairFoundation to brother Knights and other charitable organizationsaround the world.

The Wheelchair Foundation thanks the Knights of Columbus fortheir dedication to people without mobility around the world, andfor helping us make such a difference in the quality of their lives.

For more information about the Knights of Columbus wheelchairrelief effort, please contact Chris Lewis at [email protected].

CLOCKW ISE FROM TOP LEFT: THUM BS UPFOR A NEW LIFE OF M OBILITY >>> THISYOUNG BOY W ILL GO TO SCHOOL W ITHHIS NEW W HEELCHAIR >>> THIS 5-YEAR-OLD NEVER M OVED HIM SELF BEFORETODAY >>> JAVIER, 16, IN M EXICALI

CharityKnights of


M E X IC O

LEFT >>> FIRST LADY OF M EXICO M ARTHA FOX AND DENNISCOSTANZA, REPRESENTING THE HOFM ANN FOUNDATION, GETTING TOKNOW THE W HEELCHAIR RECIPIENTSABOVE >>> W HEELCHAIR FOUNDATION PARTNERS AT A W HEELCHAIRDISTRIBUTION IN M EXICO CITYBOTTOM >>> KEN HOFM ANN, PRESIDENT VICENTE FOX, FIRST LADYM ARTHA FOX, AND KEN BEHRING KICK OFF M OBILITY AND FRIENDSHIPFOR M EXICO CAM PAIGN

Words from Mexican President VICENTE FOX QUESADA duringa ceremonial donation of 20,000 wheelchairs, which took place inthe Adolfo Lopez Mateos room of Los Pinos, the official presidentialresidence. This speech was given in response to the $2 milliondonated by philanthropists Ken Hofmann and Kenneth Behring toprovide 20,000 wheelchairs throughout Mexico.

Today I receive with a lot of affection, love, and admirationthose who give us the pleasure of their visit, those who are atrue example of courage, strength and a real example of life

that inspires the rest of us.The satisfaction of giving to others has no limit; it enriches the

ones who give, and the ones who receive.In six years Kenneth and Ken have changed the lives of over half

a million people through the Wheelchair Foundation.This is not only proof of generosity but a force that transforms the

world.This very important donation is part of a campaign that is appro-

priately called: mobility and friendship for Mexico.Today we begin to distribute the wheelchairs around the country

and I want to state once more our gratitude to both of you in thename of the Mexican government and its people.

Like Benjamin Franklin said: a brother may be a friend, but afriend will always be a brother.

We have the pleasure that Kenneth is with us today, and in repre-sentation of Ken Hofmann, Mr. Dennis Costanza. Welcome, and Iask that you receive the thanks of all the Mexican families.

Joining in the generosity of Kenneth and Ken was the work of the

Telmex Foundation, of whose philanthropy we hear constantly, andwho desires to support the worthiest causes in our country.

And we cannot forget the International Rotary Clubs that alwaystry to serve others.

And I know of many civil society organizations that also work forthese good causes.

This work shows us that the participation of civil society and cit-izens has become a fundamental value of our democratic society,and it is a true support to the government and its tasks.

You all have assumed your social responsibility; you have doneyour part to convert the dreams of many people into reality.

We have also seen today that when we work as a team, when weact jointly for a cause, we can accomplish so much more, we canconfront any challenges to benefit those in need, and we can accel-erate the creation of the common good in our country.

I am sure that we will continue to work together so that all, sen-iors, teenagers, boys and girls, and women who have a physical dis-ability can very soon count on receiving a wheelchair that helpsthem get through life in an easier way.

Let's double the efforts of society and government to put withinreach more wheelchairsto all the people withdifferent capacities,more support thatallows them to integratefully with their family,more employment, andmore openings andaccess to schools, toknowledge, to work,and to sports.

hope delivered to

Mexico


W H E E LC H A IR FO U N D A TIO N C A N A D A

CLOCKW ISE FROM TOP LEFT >>> Rotarians from Red Deer East

warm ly welcom ed in the Philippines >>> Three wheelchair recipients’

lives are changed >>> Neil Swensrude provides m obility >>> W heelchair

distribution location

Recently, 12 members of the Rotary Club of Red Deer East inAlberta traveled to the Philippines to deliver 280 brand newwheelchairs that would change hundreds of lives, including

their own.Working hand in hand with members of their sister club, Las

Pinas Camino Real, the Red Deer East group became immersed inthe happenings of the city of Manila and its 14 million residents.They spent two and a half weeks working 14-hour days. VisitingRotary clubs and projects, the group was getting a good feel for whotheir hosts were and how dedicated they are to helping people.

The wheelchair distributions in which they participated broughtmany emotions into the hearts of every member of theCanadian/Philippine team. On one occasion, the team had an oppor-tunity to give a wheelchair to a 90-year-old woman in her home.The woman had been confined to her bed for over three years. Thefollowing day was Sunday, and the woman was able to realize adream that she had held on to for the previous three years. She wasable to get into her new wheelchair and attend church. Her prayershad been answered that Sunday because the Red Deer East

Rotarians caredenough to provideher with that wheel-chair. She returnedhome after the massand was happier andmore at peace thanshe had been inyears. The followingday, the team learnedthat she had died. Itwas sad news, but herprayers had been

answered, and everyone was grateful that she died happy.The group flew to the island of Palawan 500 miles south of

Manila to deliver more wheelchairs, and more new friends weremade in the process. People in these remote locations would neverbe able to get a wheelchair if it were not for the efforts of the localand visiting Rotarians. Without mobility, these people had no hopefor any kind of a productive or independent future. Now all that hasbeen changed.

A new level of respect and appreciation was established betweenthe Canadian and Philippine team members. Great friendships weremade. More importantly, a greater understanding of the challengesthat the people of thePhilippines face wasbrought back to RedDeer. This new under-standing helped tochange how each teamnow thinks of their sis-ter club and its mem-bers, who both demon-strated such enthusiasmfor making new friends,showing gratitude andserving those who arein need of their help.

This most recentdelivery has broughtthe number of wheel-chairs sponsored by theRotary Club of RedDeer East to more than1,750.

WF Canada visitsThe Philippines


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THIS PAGE, COUNTER-

CLOCKW ISE FROM TOP LEFT:

>>> The W ilhelm y fam ilychanging lives in China >>>NBA All-Stars Vlade Divacand Peja Stojakovic giveautographed shoes and ahigh five to a physicallychallenged boy >>> TimHoney, Executive Directorof Sister CitiesInternational, ChineseAm bassador to the U.S.,and Steve Beinke >>>Supporters of the 2ndAnnual M cCovey’sInvitational >>> Belizeanrecipient tows his wheel-chair hom e on a borrowedwheelchair>>> JohnW ilhelm y, Ken Behring,HRH Crown PrincessKatherine and HRH CrownPrince Alexander, andSteve Beinke with wheel-chair ballroom dancers inSerbia >>> Excited forwheelchair distribution >>>Rotarian volunteer Dr. JonGrant, Stanley Togikawa,and Hans Eide changinglives in Cam bodia >>> PatBehring helps a child

>


S E A S O N H IG H LIG H TS

Need a last-m inute gift idea for the holidays? Give the gift of m obility!

Are you running out of gift ideas for the holidays? Are you out of ideas because your loved one seem sto have everything he or she wants? Then giving the gift of m obility in the nam e of your loved one isthe perfect gift to give this holiday season! It is not only a great gift idea, but it also gets a wheelchairin the hands of som eone who desperately needs it.

W hen you m ake your donation online, you will be able print out a gift certificate (pictured below) thatconfirm s that you have m ade the donation in the nam e of your loved one, which you can give as a gift.Then, 4-6 weeks later, your loved one will receive a beautiful presentation certificate with a picture of awheelchair recipient! To m ake a donation and receive the gift certificate, please visit our website athttp://www.wheelchairfoundation.org and click on the gift certificate link.


“Please allow me to introduce myself; I am Joel Hodge,Program Director for Wheelchair Foundation and I amcontacting you concerning a shipment of wheelchairs

we would like to distribute in your country…”This is how I start all my correspondence to strangers around

the world, be they heads of state, assistants to heads of state or justplain good-hearted, well-intended, helpful people.

I often tell others “I have the best job in the world,” and sincere-ly believe that I do. I will also tell them that it is the hardest andmost challenging job I have ever had in my life. In the time I havebeen working for Wheelchair Foundation I have had the great for-tune of traveling around the planet to more than 90 countries. Andin my travels I have seen some of the most beautiful and majesticsights the world has to offer, and I have seen some of the mostugly and awful sights as well.

I get to meet with dignitaries, diplomats, politicians, people ofenormous authority and power. I also meet with the poorest andmost oppressed people that exist. During a typical wheelchair dis-tribution I may encounter a country’s prime minister, their firstlady, heads of state, ambassadors and celebrities. And I alwaysencounter wheelchair recipients, in all of their various forms.Some are young, some are old, all of them disabled or challengedin their ability to move about on their own. Each one of them isa “unique” individual.

In taking a cue from our esteemed benefactor, Mr. Kenneth E.Behring, I am conscious to make contact with as many wheelchairrecipients as I can at some point during the distribution process. Ialso encourage any attending donors or sponsors, dignitaries anddiplomats to do the same. Personally, my favorite times are beforea distribution begins, as the recipients are arriving, and whenthings are finished and people are leaving with their brand newred wheelchairs. Over time I have overcome the awkwardness ofspeaking with people from different cultures. My job has taughtme two very important things: 1.) Be humble, and 2.) Listen moreand talk less.

A man in Haiti once approached me and was very adamantabout getting his point across to me. In his thick Haitian accenthe told me “You are not supposed to tell people in America thatyou ‘saw’ the people of Haiti, but rather that you ‘listened to thepeople of Haiti.’” And I did. And I do.

When I approach wheelchair recipients, I do so from a point ofunderstanding that is probably not immediately mutual. I'm lessconcerned about how a man or woman is dressed, or whether ornot their hand is dirty when extended to shake mine, as I am inter-ested in their personal story. I want to know what their life is like,and I want to know about them. I have a series of questions I liketo ask when speaking with people from other countries, questionsthat allow for broad answers.

KAREN GALLAGHER FEELS THE SPIRIT OF GIVING IN M EXICO >>> ELDERLY M EXICAN W OM AN IS CARRIED TO HER NEW W HEELCHAIR

S P IR IT O F G IV IN G

changing lives...the spirit of giving

By Joel Hodge

S P IR IT O F G IV IN G


I have had hundreds of wheelchair recipients approach me, takemy hand and thank me for the gift of a wheelchair, all the whileassuming that it came from me personally. Some are excited,some convey their thanks through what seems like a steady streamof tears. And still others are stoic. It is at this point that I explainto them that the wheelchair that has been given to them byWheelchair Foundation represents the “desire to help others”which is shared by our more than 40,000 willful donors aroundthe world. People from all walks of life contribute so that you, thewheelchair recipient, no longer have to crawl in the dirt, or lay ona bed staring at the ceiling for hours, or attempt to find comfort ina heap of rags on the floor in a corner. And, like Ken Behring willsay, “our wheelchairs are a gift of peace, a gift of love and goodintention from tens of thousands of people who are willing toreach out and help others.” I am just their representative.

I would now like to relay a message, to all of our generousdonors, from our more than half million wheelchair recipients;“Thank you. Thank you for giving. Thank you for making theeffort to help us. Thank you for not forgetting about us wheneveryone else has.”

And from myself, I would like to thank you all for allowing andenabling me to be the messenger of such good hope. Thank youfor letting me do such good and positive work. I can honestly tellyou that Wheelchair Foundation strives to make the best use ofyour donations as is possible. We deliver a quality wheelchairdirectly to people in need all over the planet efficiently.Wheelchair Foundation is the largest relief effort of its kind everattempted and we have no rivals when it comes to the scale ofwhat we are trying to do, or have accomplished. I am proud of theFoundation I have helped build and I am proud to work side byside with amazing people who get to share in the same experi-ences that I do.

I would also like to take this opportunity to ask you to contin-ue to support our efforts. Please tell your family and friends, busi-ness associates and acquaintances about the work we are doing.Tell them that for $75 there is a way they can put a person in awheelchair who would otherwise be immobile. A way that theycan grant someone the ability to move about with dignity. Tellthem that they can assist a family who has to carry their child,

grandparent, or loved one everywhere they go, by providing themwith a wheelchair. Tell them that they can immediately change alife for the better. Because we have created a way so you reallycan help others right now.

And no matter what you are able to give, any amount great orsmall is significant. I urge you to consider the examples present-ed in the pages of this newsletter. There are as many ways to col-lect donations and make a contribution as there are people waitingfor a wheelchair.

Did I mention that there are people waiting? There are peoplewho are waiting in almost every country around the world for awheelchair. Tens of millions of people just like you and I. Andsome of those people are waiting for me, specifically, to comeback and give a wheelchair to them.

TOP RIGHT >>> ANGOLAN W HEELCHAIR RECIPIENT RETURNSTO SAY THANK YOU AFTER TW O YEARSBOTTOM LEFT >>> BEST FRIEND HELPS THIS YOUNG BOY TORECEIVE HIS NEW W HEELCHAIRBOTTOM RIGHT >>> THE BOY IS ABLE TO ATTEND SCHOOLTHANKS TO THE SPIRIT OF GIVING


A R G E N TIN A

Through an inter-preter, I was toldthe middle-aged

mother before me had recently developed back pains. What a reliefit was to this mother, and her aching back, that her 5-year old sonnow received the gift of a wheelchair. Not to mention the joy in see-ing her son moving on his own without someone having to carry himfrom place to place, or using a borrowed wheelchair. Since birth, theparents had requested a wheelchair of their own through normalchannels, only to be left waiting for years. Now, during a small dis-tribution ceremony in the quiet town of Eduardo Castex, Argentina,their wait came to an end.

Through a partnership with Rotary Clubs and the WheelchairFoundation, 1,400 recipients in Argentina experienced this samefeeling of happiness, relief and hope.

After witnessing the effect a new wheelchair had on a recipientand their family during their first journey to Argentina, RotariansMichael Mattie and Don Heebner from Warrington, PA made a sec-ond trip. In March 2005, they went with 280 wheelchairs. In June2006, they assisted in the distribution of 1,400 wheelchairs. Thisexperience reinforced the joy and personal satisfaction of helpingothers through the special gift of a wheelchair.

Traveling to Argentina for a week at their own expense, Michaeland Don arrived in Mendoza, the second largest city in Argentina.For two days they developed new friendships, enjoyed the warmhospitality of Rotarians and distributed hundreds of wheelchairs toArgentinians in need.

Their next stop was the heartland, Santa Rosa La Pampa, wheremore distributions were planned in several small towns. A seven-hour car ride took them south of Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata, abeautiful seaside city for more distributions and Rotary camaraderie.The eight day adventure reinforced their desire to return again withanother shipment of wheelchairs.

Once you participate in this process, you feel your life enriched.The long days and countless hours of raising thousands of dollars topurchase these wheelchairs are quickly forgotten with the first smilefrom the recipient.

And the effect of your $75 donation does not stop there.Because your $75 gift of a new wheelchair touches many lives

beyond the recipient and their family. This was reinforced shortlyafter our return home when we received an email of thanks from theschool teacher of a 6-year old girl who received a new wheelchair.The teacher saw such an improvement in the attitude of her youngstudent, and a corresponding improvement in her entire class, thatshe felt compelled toshare this with us. Thiswheelchair allowed herstudent to fit in with herclassmates and become apart of the class. What awonderful gift for thestudent, classmates andtheir teacher.

So go ahead and beselfish. Raise moneyand participate in thedistribution of a wheel-chair to someone youdon’t know, and willprobably never seeagain. Then bask in theglory of knowing thatperhaps you have helpedthem improve their lifeforever. It is truly in giv-ing that we receive.

Helps the Donor as WellBy Rotarian Michael MattieThe Gift of a Wheelchair

FROM TOP LEFT CLOCKW ISE: THUM BS UP FOR M OBIL-ITY >>> M ICHAEL M ATTIE READING CHILDREN’S BOOKTO RECIPIENT >>> FAM ILY M EM BERS CARRY SON TOW HEELCHAIR DISTRIBUTION >>> THERE IS NO LAN-GUAGE BARRIER W ITH THIS HANDSHAKE >>> THANKYOU SPEECH FROM W HEELCHAIR RECIPIENT


A R K A N S A S

The Heart of NW Arkansas

Arkansas is known as“The Natural State”with its numerous

lakes and rivers, the Ozark Mountains, and more naturally beautifullandscape than most anyone has seen. The most attractive feature inthe State of Arkansas is its people. Since 2002 the Rotary Club ofSpringdale, Arkansas has been one of the most consistent andinvolved sponsors of wheelchairs to destinations around the world.Raising funds for more than 1,100 wheelchairs at one club meetingon October 2, 2006, the Springdale club has now sponsored thedelivery of more than 4,400 wheelchairs.

Noel Morris, Past President of the Springdale club, has headed upthe wheelchair program in Northwest Arkansas, and has spread thefever of the humanitarian mission to neighboring clubs and districtsin several states. Noel serves as the Wheelchair Foundation chair-person for Rotary District 6110, which covers portions of Arkansas,Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. His wife Sandy started a wheel-chair fundraising and education program at the J.O. Kelly MiddleSchool in Springdale, which has taught the kids valuable lessonsabout giving back to people in need.

Since 2003 the Springdale club has coordinated a wheelchair dis-tribution trip each year so club members and their families coulddirectly participate in wheelchair deliveries. Returning home andsharing the experiences with friends and family is the best part of ahands on humanitarian relief project. This was the case withSpringdale club member Jim Crouch and his wife Cathy.

After attending the wheelchair distributions in Mexico in 2005with her daughter Mary Catherine, Cathy Crouch decided to bringthe wheelchair mission to the school where she teaches. At the JohnTyson Elementary School, named for the Tyson Foods patriarch whodonated the land for the school, Cathy began teaching her studentsabout what it meant to give a wheelchair to a person in a developingcountry.

Part of the creative approach Cathy developed included a note

sent home to parents thatread in part, “Mrs. Crouchand her students invite youto join us in this RandomAct of Kindness as we begin to collect donations for the purchase ofwheelchairs for needy people around the world!”

The idea was to have the kids earn the money to be donated forthe wheelchair program with a goal of raising $450 total to sponsorthe delivery of six wheelchairs to Mexico. The Tyson Tigers earnedmoney by doing jobs around the house, cooking dinner, or washingcars. Each student created a logo and motto for the project and drewa picture of themselves doing the job that would earn the money forthe wheelchairs. They followed the plan, were very successful, andlearned that “when you do a good job, you are Human Capital.”

A group of students made a presentation about their project to theRotary Club of Springdale and raised money on top of what they hadearned. Then, 500 of the Tyson Tigers proudly marched downCambridge Street in Springdale to the Tyson Foods headquarters.Hope Hallam, 7, who uses a walker for mobility, was pushed in abright red Wheelchair Foundation wheelchair at the front of theparade by student council president Matt Bowen, which allowedHope to complete the march to Tyson Foods and back. With a largebanner proudly displayed, the students were greeted by about 100Tyson Foods employees and Don Tyson, son of the companyfounder, who spoke to the group. Tyson Foods then added a dona-tion to the pot and the Tyson Tigers had raised $5,400, enoughmoney to sponsor the delivery of 72 wheelchairs to Mexico.

In a parent evaluation form that was sent home with each student,a mother wrote, “Having our students ‘work’ for money rather thanasking for donations made a big impact. You are showing our kidsthey can make a difference in the world! Thank you!”

The seeds that were planted by the Springdale Rotarians in thebeautiful landscape of NW Arkansas are paying off in human capi-tal, random acts of kindness and making a difference in the world.

CLOCKW ISE FROM TOP LEFT: 4-YEAR-OLD W HEELCHAIRRECIPIENT IN PUEBLA, M X >>> SANDY AND NOEL M ORRIS>>> GO TYSON TIGERS! >>> LOGOS AND M OTTOS DRAW NBY THE STUDENTS


C A L P O LY

Now in their fifth year in support of the WheelchairFoundation, Cal Poly students have taken themotto, “You Just Gotta Belize,” and put it into

action in their fundraising efforts. Each year the students have sur-passed the previous year’s mark. Starting in 2001, they raised$18,000. This has increased annually up to $62,000 this year, bring-ing their five year total to an astonishing $160,000.

After raising the funds this year, the students continued to plan andprepare for their trip to Belize, not fullyunderstanding the life-changing experiencethey were going to have. Robin Cho, WFCal Poly Chapter team member, who trav-eled to Belize to be a part of the wheelchairdistributions, had this to say about her expe-rience:

“The most powerful and touching storieswere at the wheelchair distribution. Therewere countless stories about handicappedchildren and young adults who had been car-ried by their parents or grandparents,depending on whether their parents werestill alive. Many of these people had beencarried for ten to twenty years because they never had access to awheelchair. Everyone knew that the wheelchair had changed thelives of the physically handicapped and their families, but no oneknew that their stories, smiles, determination, and resilience had

changed me forever.”The students worked closely

with the Rotary Club of Belizeand distributed wheelchairs in alot of unique places. They didsome home visits and took thewheelchairs to the people’shomes, dropped off wheelchairsat the Belize Central Prison, andwent to two senior citizen cen-ters. They also visited twoorphanages, where they gaveaway school supplies, shoes andclothing, as well as wheelchairs.

At one of the home visits, the

students met a 17 year-old boy named AubreyHernandez who would have been a senior in highschool this year. However, Aubrey was unable to

attend school because earlier in the year he was shot in the head whilestanding in his front yard. The bullet is still lodged in his brain, andhe suffers seizures as a result. His familycannot afford the surgery to remove thebullet, nor could they afford a wheelchairto help mobilize Aubrey. Now thatAubrey has a wheelchair, he can get him-self around and be an active part of soci-ety once again.

At Sister Cecilia Senior Home, the stu-dents spent time talking with residentsand people who had gathered at the facil-ity to receive a wheelchair. One gentle-man had recently lost a leg due to compli-cations of diabetes. In contrast to otherwheelchair recipients we met, he is a mid-dle class Belizean citizen. His situationhighlights the difficulties even the rela-tively well-off physically disabled face inBelize. There are no wheelchair manufacturers in Belize, and highimport taxes can easily double the cost of a wheelchair. This puts thecost of a wheelchair out of reach for most Belizeans. The WheelchairFoundation works through local officials and non-governmentalorganizations (NGO’s) to obtain duty-free status for the wheelchairs.

It’s going to be difficult to continue surpassing the previous year’sfundraising efforts with this past year's total exceeding $62,000.Having now sponsored over 2,100 wheelchairs in seven differentcountries throughout the world, will the Cal Poly San Luis Obispostudents be able to surpass this year's total next year? “You Just GottaBelize” they will!

The Wheelchair Foundation is grateful to all those who have beeninvolved with the fundraising at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo over thepast four years. You have changed and blessed the lives of thousandsaround the world. We would like to encourage other schools and uni-versities across the country to get involved in the WheelchairFoundation program. Please contact Matt Montague, Director ofCommunity Relations, at (925) 791-2316 or [email protected] to learn how you can participate in the program.

You Just Gotta Belize…FROM TOP LEFT CLOCKW ISE: W F CAL POLYTEAM BELIZE >>> KATIE KLUENKER, M ARGIETAYLOR, ROBIN CHO, AND SCOTT W EST PRO-VIDE FREEDOM FOR A M AN SUFFERING FROMDIABETES >>> LYNN M ETCALF W ITH AUBREYHERNANDEZ, A YOUNG M AN W HO SUFFERSFROM SEIZURES DUE TO A GUNSHOT W OUND TOTHE HEAD >>> THANKS TO FRANCIS W OODS, ACHILD CAN NOW GO TO SCHOOL >>> ROBIN CHORIDES A ZIP LINE IN THE JUNGLE OF BELIZE


The Gift of Planned GivingP LA N N E D G IV IN G

Afghanistan ................6,370Albania ..........................550Algeria...........................640Angola........................4,590Antigua and Barbuda ....280Argentina....................6,811Arm enia......................2,684Australia ........................292Azerbaijan .....................280Baham as....................1,200Bangladesh ...................240Barbados.......................280Belarus..........................990Belgium .........................280Belize..........................2,420Bolivia.........................4,084Bosnia-Herzegovina...1,480Botswana....................1,128Brazil..........................2,305Bulgaria.........................530Burundi..........................520Cam bodia...................2,550Canada..........................280Cape Verde...................780Central African Rep.......240Chile...........................7,228China......................138,458 Colom bia....................5,780Costa Rica..................5,095Croatia........................1,300Cuba...........................1,520Cyprus...........................280Czech Republic.............597Dom inica .......................280Dom inican Republic...8,178Ecuador......................5,333Egypt..........................1,058El Salvador.................4,965Eritrea............................250Estonia ..........................500Ethopia.......................2,928Fiji...............................1,620France...........................560French Polynesia ..........280Georgia.......................1,030Ghana.........................2,240Greece...........................240Grenada ........................280Guam .............................250Guatam ala..................6,503Guyana..........................250Haiti............................1,820Honduras....................4,904Hong Kong/China..........970Hungary.........................120India............................2,716Indonesia....................2,820Iran.............................3,880Iraq.............................2,620 Israel...........................6,610Italy................................580Jam aica......................2,440 Japan..........................1,750Jordan ........................4,742 Kazakhstan.................1,510Kenya.........................2,540Kiribati...........................250Korea, North..................552Korea, South..............5,020 Kosovo .......................1,300Kyrgystan ...................1,240Laos...............................780Latvia.............................740Lebanon .....................2,150Lesotho..........................500

Liberia............................780Lithuania.....................1,090M acedonia.....................480M adagascar................1,030M alawi........................1,920M alaysia.....................2,260M ali................................240M alta..............................240M arshall Islands............140M exico......................80,749 M icronesia..................1,390M oldova......................1,720 M ongolia.....................1,320M ontenegro...................120M orocco......................2,030M ozam bique...............1,380M yanm ar (Burm a).........500Nam ibia.........................466 Nepal..........................2,265Nicaragua...................4,725Niger..............................240Nigeria........................1,310N. M ariana Islands........410Om an.............................280Pakistan......................3,175 Palestinians/Israel......1,906Panam a......................5,300 Papua New Guinea....2,080Paraguay....................1,544Peru............................5,360Philippines..................5,900 Poland........................2,160Portugal.........................530Puerto Rico ...................490Rom ania.....................2,692 Russia.........................2,110Rwanda......................2,200Saint Lucia (UK)............560Saint Petersburg ...........120Saint Vincent and theGrenadines....................280Sam oa........................1,080Senegal.........................520Serbia.........................1,530Sierra Leone...............1,840Som alia ...........................88South Africa..............10,240 Spain .............................500Sri Lanka....................2,890 Sudan............................280 Surinam e.......................240Swaziland...................1,580Syria..............................641Taiwan...........................756Tajikistan........................480Tanzania.....................2,468 Thailand......................4,980Tibet/China....................331Tonga.............................500Trinidad & Tobago......2,164Turkey.........................4,320 Turkm enistan.................520Uganda.......................3,184 Ukraine.......................3,620United States............27,115 Uruguay......................1,632Uzbekistan..................1,240Vanuatu.........................250Venezuela...................1,320Vietnam ....................10,696 Virgin Islands (UK)........284Virgin Islands (US)........280W estern Sahara ............153Zam bia .......................1,240Zim babwe...................2,050

For current totals visit wheelchairfoundation.org

TOTAL COUNTRIES/REGIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..150

TOTAL W HEELCHAIRS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .525,875

W HEELCHAIRS COM M ITTED OR DELIVERED

Top Ten Things You Can Do Today To Leave A Legacy

>> Prepare a will and consider a charitable trust.>> Remember loved ones with memorial gifts.>> Leave a gift for the Wheelchair Foundation in your will or trust.>> Encourage family and friends to leave gifts to the Wheelchair

Foundation in their wills.>> Leave a specific amount or a percentage of your assets to the

Wheelchair Foundation.>> Consider using appreciated assets such as stocks, bonds, real estate,

etc. for a charitable gift.>> Prepare an existing or purchase a new life insurance policy naming

the Wheelchair Foundation as the beneficiary.>> Name the Wheelchair Foundation as the beneficiary of your pension

plan or IRA.>> Ask your financial advisor to include charitable giving as part of

counsel to clients.>> Check to see if your employer offers an Employee Charitable

Matching Gift Program.

New! Charitable IRA Rollover!

If you are age 70-1/2 or older, new legislation now allows you to makecash gifts totaling up to $100,000 per year from your traditional or RothIRA to qualified charities without incurring income tax on the withdraw-al. On August 17, President Bush signed H.R.4, the Pension ProtectionAct of 2006, into law. This bill contains a two-year IRA CharitableRollover provision that allows people ages 70-1/2 or older to exclude upto $100,000 from their gross income in tax years 2006 and 2007 for cashgifts made directly to a qualified charity. This is good news for peoplewho want to make a charitable gift during their lifetime from their retire-ment assets, but have been discouraged from doing so because of theincome tax penalty.

We are very pleased that you are interested in supporting theWheelchair Foundation. Your generosity will help us meet ourcurrent goals and reach farther in the future. We encourage you

to plan your gift thoughtfully and to consider how your gift can benefit youas well. An outright gift to the Wheelchair Foundation gives us resources tomeet immediate objectives. In turn, it provides you with maximum tax ben-efits. It can also be the simplest gift to arrange.

You may, however, prefer to make your gift through your estate. Eventhough we cannot use this gift immediately, it will be critically importantto the long term financial strength of the Wheelchair Foundation and willhelp ensure our ability to meet opportunities and challenges of the future.

To include a charitable gift to the Wheelchair Foundation in your estateplan or for more information, please contact Lee Winter, our planned givingrepresentative, at [email protected], or by telephone at(925) 736-8234.

Leaving a Legacy

CALL US NOW AT (877) 378-3839

OR DONATE ONLINE AT W W W .W HEELCHAIRFOUNDATION.ORG

Sam ple Presentation Folder

3820 Blackhawk RoadDanville, CA 94506-4652 USA

NO NPRO FIT O RG

U.S. PO STAG E

PAID

PERM IT NO . 260

DANVILLE,CA

EACH $75 DONATION W ILL DELIVER A W HEELCHAIR AND

GREATLY IM PROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR A CHILD, TEEN

OR ADULT W ITHOUT M OBILITY. YOU W ILL RECEIVE A BEAUTI-

FUL CERTIFICATE OF THANKS W ITH A PICTURE OF A W HEEL-

CHAIR RECIPIENT IN YOUR NAM E OR DEDICATED TO YOUR

LOVED ONE. YOU W ILLALSO RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF

ROAD TO PURPOSE. DONATE TW O W HEELCHAIRS AND

RECEIVE A SIGNED COPY.

YOUcan change a lifein the name of a loved one

and receive afree copy of Ken Behring’s

bookRoad to Purpose

an account of his personal journey that

led to the creation of the Wheelchair Foundation,and the stories of

people we have touched.

Wheelchair Foundation - Fall 2006 Newsletter

Documents

Transcript of Wheelchair Foundation - Fall 2006 Newsletter