Wheelchair Sunday Phenomenon Rolls On

 

Knights from Fr. Maguire Council #3851 in Covina Hosted a Wheelchair Sunday at St. Christopher’s Catholic Church in West Covina and Raised More Than $21,000 for the Wheelchair Foundation.

The first ever Wheelchair Sunday happened just this past fall.  That weekend, only a few short months ago, Knights from Msgr. Corr Council in Pasadena raised more than $22,000 at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church.  Then it was Alhambra Council’s turn.  In February they hosted the second Wheelchair Sunday and raised more than $10,000 at St. Therese Church in Alhambra.  On March 2nd and 3rd, it was Fr. Maguire Council’s turn.  “The generosity of the people of St. Christopher’s Parish is really unsurpassed. We knew that, and we thought we would do well here.  But, I don’t think anyone expected us to do this well,” said Ernie Clark, Grand Knight of Fr. Maguire Council.  “All the credit goes to our Pastor, Fr. Nestor Rebong and to his associates, Fr. Dan White and Fr. Joe Magdaong.  Without their help and inspiration, this never would have happened,” Clark said.

With the funds just raised by Fr. Maguire Council at St. Christopher, the total for the San Gabriel Valley Chapter of the Knights, of which all three councils are members, has now exceeded $65,000 for this Columbian year (which ends in June).  Of that amount, more than $50,000 was raised during the three Wheelchair Sunday events held so far alone – and four more parishes have already signed on to have their local councils host Wheelchair Sunday events in coming weeks.  “We are just thrilled with the response this Wheelchair Sunday concept has received,” said James Baker, Sr., President of the San Gabriel Valley Chapter of the Knights, which represents a total of 31 member councils.  “When the year started, our goal was for the San Gabriel Valley Chapter to be able to buy one full container of wheelchairs by itself.  A container holds 280 wheelchairs and costs $21,000.  With the unexpected success at Assumption, we had to adjust our thinking and we raised the goal to five containers.  After only the third Wheelchair Sunday, we are now more than half way there,” Baker said.

To put the success of the Wheelchair Sunday movement into perspective, last year the entire State of California, which consists of 16 chapters and over 600 councils, raised about $70,000 for the Wheelchair Foundation.  “Our hope, at least in the short term, is to export the success we have seen with this charitable model, which we have called ‘Wheelchair Sunday,’ to the rest of the chapters and councils in the State of California,” said Dan Moberg, Chairman of the Wheelchair Committee of the San Gabriel Valley Chapter.  “The Wheelchair Foundation is a fantastic organization, and an excellent charitable partner.  There is really no limit to the good we can do if we work together as a State and as an Order, and I am convinced that the ‘Wheelchair Sunday’ model is the future of this partnership,” said Moberg.

The Wheelchair Foundation is an international charitable organization that supplies wheelchairs throughout the world to those in need.  It is the largest purchaser and distributor of wheelchairs in the world, and it currently delivers 10,000 per month on average to all corners of the globe.  As a result, the Wheelchair Foundation is able to purchase wheelchairs at a substantial discount.  Every $75 donated to the Wheelchair Foundation will purchase a brand new wheelchair, which would otherwise cost as much as $500 or more if it were purchased in a medical supply store, to be delivered to a child, teen or adult without mobility, freedom and often hope. 

To date, nearly 675,000 wheelchairs have been distributed by the Wheelchair Foundation worldwide.  The Knights of Columbus became a charitable partner of the Wheelchair Foundation several years ago and since then the San Gabriel Valley Chapter has been one of the driving forces of the success of this partnership in the State of California.

For more information about the Wheelchair Foundation, please visit the San Gabriel Valley Chapter’s web site at http://www.kofc-sgvchapter.org/ and click on the link to the Wheelchair Foundation.  To make a donation to the Wheelchair Foundation through Fr. Maguire Council, please send your checks made payable to “The Wheelchair Foundation” to Fr. Maguire Council #3851, care of Dan Moberg, San Gabriel Valley Chapter Wheelchair Committee Chairman, 1841 Stoneman Avenue, Alhambra, California 91803.  To invite your local Council of the Knights of Columbus to host a Wheelchair Sunday at your parish, please contact Dan Moberg at this address or send your e-mail to kofc_wheelchairfoundation@yahoo.com.

 

Last Update: 28 Mar 08 by PRD  Note: posted as submitted.