It takes a little more than hocus pocus for those who have children utilizing wheelchairs. How do they find a costume that makes the wheelchair “magically” disappear. For one small nonprofit in Oregon their entire mission is to “give kids in wheelchairs an unforgettable experience by creating custom costumes for them at no expense to their families.” Ryan and Lana Weimer (founders) have five children, three of whom have Spinal Muscular Atrophy, each year Ryan worked hard to make sure his own children had costumes that worked with their wheelchairs. These costumes are no small feat, it started in 2005 when Ryan asked his son what he wanted to be for Halloween, a pirate.
Ryan thought, “every pirate needs a ship” and his son’s wheelchair would make the perfect frame. He built a ship around the wheelchair, and his son cruised around as a pirate on his ship for Halloween. The family got many requests to make other wheelchair costumes for children all over the world, to transform their children’s wheelchairs into ‘magic’. They launched their nonprofit in 2015 and have been hard at work creating ‘magic’ and smiles for children all over! Check out their website to see what amazing costumes they’ve created over the years and perhaps you’ll be inspired to create some ‘magic’ of your own.
My professional background stems from non-profit marketing and fundraising for a large children’s cancer hospital. Every day I was able to make connections and relationships for kids and their families going through devastating times. From securing small donations to large corporate support, it was all about providing hope that one day doctors and researchers would find a cure. It was truly an honor to be a part of something so important.
Just this past year, I came to work alongside my family for BLVD.com, a website dedicated to offering the latest information and resources for people needing mobility products. This was a dream come true for me as I have always wanted to combine more time with my family while still helping others. Our family has been in the mobility industry for over 35 years with the goal of enhancing the quality of life for people with mobility issues. This is the spirit behind BLVD and what I am most excited about sharing in my blog.
I love meeting new people and have found that volunteering is the best way to learn more about others and myself. Coffee keeps me going as do walks my pup "Kirby" and most of all being with family and friends. I invite you to check out my blog to learn more about how "together we can move through life better!"
