Rotary Happenings: Cycling challenge raises funds for wheelchairs
Rotarian John Danner, pastor at the Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ, created the Wheels 4 Wheels fundraiser in honor of his father, the Rev. Howard S. Danner Jr., a pastor and college professor who was struck by a drunk driver while biking and was paralyzed from the waist down, leaving him in a wheelchair for his remaining 17 years.
On John Danner’s 60th birthday, he rode his bike from just north of Fort Lauderdale to Key West — a total of 190 miles — as a fundraiser for wheelchairs. He called it Wheels for Wheels/60 for 60. His goal was to raise enough money to purchase 60 wheelchairs. Danner ended up raising $22,000 and helped distribute over 200 wheelchairs in Trinidad later that year.
Three years ago, he had the idea to ride his bike once again as a fundraiser for wheelchairs — a cause Rotary contributes to annually — and included Rotarians in the event. It was called the “Howard S. Danner Jr. Wheels for Wheels Cycling Challenge.” With $26,000 raised, it allowed for the purchase and delivery of over 250 wheelchairs to Barbados and Trinidad. In its second year, a total of $23,000 was raised by the riders and their sponsors, which enabled the Wheelchair Foundation to buy 230 wheelchairs for those who could not afford one.
“I am so pleased that this yearly effort honors the memory of my dad, who spent 17 years as a paraplegic in a wheelchair. Over the two years of the club event in his name, and the first solo ride when I turned 60, we have funded close to 700 life-changing wheelchairs,” Danner, who was also recognized as the rider who “Rode the Most Miles” for the challenge, said.
This year, an added feature of the event is that riders can ride anywhere, allowing for island “Snowtarians” to participate at any time up to the event.
The Wheelchair Foundation is a nonprofit organization leading an international effort to create awareness of the needs and abilities of people with physical disabilities, to promote the joy of giving, create global friendship, and to deliver a wheelchair to every child, teen, and adult in the world who needs one, but cannot afford one. For those people, the foundation and the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club deliver hope, mobility and independence to many.
“The Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club has long been a significant supporter of the Wheelchair Foundation and its mission to provide mobility and dignity to people in need throughout the world. They have once again gone above and beyond expectations with this incredibly generous gift, which will have an immediate and long-lasting impact on the lives of so many. We give our heartfelt thanks to their members,” Steve Agius, chairman for the District 6960 Wheelchair Committee, said.
The Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club holds a meeting on Fridays at 7:30 a.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, and via Zoom; doors open at 7 a.m. To attend in person, email Bill Harkey at William.Harkey@gmail.com by the Tuesday before the meeting. For more information, visit sanibelrotary.org or www.facebook.com/sancaprotary.