Custom-made car gifts help northeast Wisconsin kids with special needs
APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – Go Baby Go!
It’s the name of the program and perfectly describes what some kids were doing with their new wheels on Friday.
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Children’s Wisconsin has teamed up with students at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton to build custom-made toy cars and trucks that kids with special needs can drive around their neighborhoods.
The parents of the kids who received the vehicles on Friday said it’s a game changer and it’s all free of charge.
“But it also gives my son mobility and ability; he’s on the same playing field as any other three-year-old,” said Oshkosh resident Miriah Seyler.
Local 5 News cameras were rolling as two kids got to ride in their cars for the first time. The excitement on their faces as they drove around was indescribable.
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“We’re able to give them some independence, which is super exciting,” said Children’s Wisconsin physical therapist Katelin Keck. “It is truly amazing to see the smiles, to see them not wanting to get out of the car to leave.”
Students from the Fox Valley Technical College automation club do the mechanical magic to adjust the cars so that they can be remote-controlled and fit other specific needs of the child.
“If you have the skill set to help someone out, especially for a cause like this, then just do it,” said FVTC student Michael Alvarez Gonzalez.
Since it began in the Fox Valley last spring, Children’s Wisconsin and Fox Valley Technical College have given away 26 cars through this program.
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“It’s something fun and playful when so much of our world is spent in appointments and doctor’s offices,” said one of the parents.
“Just to know that we’re giving this gift to families and they’re taking it home, and the kids are able to participate with their families and friends is truly amazing,” said Keck.
