It was a time for celebration in Wangara, Western Australia, recently as volunteers received a boost to funding for a special cause.
The workshop manager at Wheelchairs for Kids, Brother Ollie Picket, said it was a dual celebration as the group had also just completed its 30,000th wheelchair.
Picket said the latest wheelchair was bound for Burma. It represented a milestone for the group, which began as a fledgling concern in 1998 and has since grown.
The organisation has been assembling wheelchairs and distributing them overseas to disabled children – a role the state government’s Tony Simpson, Minister for Seniors and Volunteering, acknowledged during a special service last month.
He said that, during the past four years the government, had contributed $120,000 towards the workshop rent.
Simpson said the organisation provided a valuable service, giving disabled children an opportunity to experience life to the fullest with the help of the wheelchairs.
The work, undertaken by up to 170 volunteers at Wangara’s Wheelchairs for Kids, has been featured in brochure printing around the world.
According to Picket, the dedicated team constructs about 300 wheelchairs – each worth around $150 – during a month.
He said the February milestone was a great achievement, but he expected the work to continue for many years to come, as there were always going to be disabled children in need.
