More than 100 million physically disabled people in the developing world do not have wheelchairs. Free Wheelchair Mission, a nonprofit organization that provides free, durable wheelchairs, is trying to fix that.
Don Schoendorfer founded Free Wheelchair Mission in 1999. Using his expertise in mechanical engineering, Schoendorfer created a simple, rugged and inexpensive wheelchair.
Standard wheelchairs, depending on their design, can cost several thousand dollars. Schoendorfer's design, which costs as little as $50 to manufacture and ship, is given to the physically disabled poor in developing countries for free.
Over the next couple of years, Free Wheelchair Mission plans to give away 20 million wheelchairs. To do this, however, they need more financial support.
Chris Kulchak, a spokesperson for Free Wheelchair Mission who lives in Idaho, has organized two events for members of Freewheel Chair Mission to speak in Ketchum this weekend.
"I have a lot of friends in the Wood River Valley," Kulchak said. "Right now I don't think there is a lot of awareness about this issue, but I know there are a lot of big hearts."
Free Wheelchair Mission board member Laurie Schoendorfer and volunteer Renee Hage will share their personal stories of giving away the wheelchairs on Saturday, June 21, at Our lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Sun Valley.
Schoendorfer will speak at Presbyterian Church of the Bigwood in Ketchum on Sunday, June 22. For more information, call Kulchak at (208) 283-2394.
