Whether it’s Halloween, a birthday, or another special moment in the life of a child confined to a wheelchair, non-profit organization, Magic Wheelchair is there to put a smile on that young person’s face by transforming a part of their everyday life into something magical.
The organization was begun by Ryan and Lana Weimer, the parents of 5 children, 3 of whom were born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
The inspiration for the charity originated the Halloween that Ryan created a fantastic pirate costume for his son, Keaton, which included a ship that completely encompassed Keaton’s wheelchair. News of this terrific idea spread and soon the Weimers found themselves inundated with requests from parents who wanted a magical costume made for their own wheelchair confined sons/daughters.
In 2015, Magic Wheelchair was born and, since then, has created dream making moments for children nationwide.
So, how does this Oregon based charity reach so many communities? They do it with teams of volunteers authorized to create Magic Wheelchairs for kids in their local area.
This is how it works.
1. Volunteer builders organize in their community, creating a “local build team”.
2. A build team locates a deserving child in their area – via the submissions made on the Magic Wheelchair website, local children’s hospitals, or partners such as the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
3. The child selects a theme/character that he/she would like.
4. A team of artists, carpenters, engineers, and other volunteers design a costume custom-made especially for the child’s wheelchair.
Each Magic Wheelchair costs an average of $1500 in materials, and requires at least 120 hours of build time.
Here are just a few examples of the extraordinary work created by MW team members over the years.
If you’d like to set-up/be a part of a MW team in your community, you can start the process by filling out a volunteer application on the organization’s website.
Don’t have a lot of spare time? Then, consider donating to the cause. You can give to the overall charity through Paypal or donate to a specific child through Facebook. You can also support them through the purchase of a MW t-shirt.
Want MW to consider your child for receipt of a costume? Read the terms/conditions and, if your son/daughter qualifies, fill out an application. (You will be required to submit a 1-3 minute video of your child making his/her request).
Meet MW members in person at the upcoming events.
Source: Magic Wheelchair
