High School Alumni Reunite When One Of Their Own Is In Desperate Need.
Fountain Valley, CA – November 24, 2014 – A group of high school alumni have banded together to replace a wheelchair accessible van for their friend that most haven’t seen in 25 years. Julie Jones, 41, of Fountain Valley, California, has friends from Ireland to New Zealand to Uganda working to acquire a medical mobility van that Julie’s parents can use to drive Jones to her doctor’s appointments. Julie Jones was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a genetic disorder that is a sister-disease to ALS, and the previous van she nicknamed “Ol’ Smokey” just doesn’t run anymore.
On October 03, 2014, Jones was on her way home from a routine doctor’s appointment when her 25-year-old wheelchair accessible van lived up to its nickname. Smoke billowed from the engine, and within an hour, Jones said her final “good-bye” to Ol’ Smokey as she watched AAA tow her only means of transportation away. In that moment, stress amplified the Jones family as they did not have accessible transportation to get her home. Thanks to the kindness of others, a temporary solution did present itself, but the family knew they had not seen the last of their recurring predicament. Jones’ wheelchair is no ordinary wheelchair. Her automated throne is outfitted with rehab technology and weighs approximately 450 lbs. (without Jones). Between her ventilator, joint contractures, and overall lack of muscle tone and control, Jones is too “floppy” (her words) to be safely lifted out of her chair and into “normal” transportation.
“The whole experience of having the transmission blow out on my only realistic means of transport underscores the importance of a reliable, safe, wheelchair accessible van,” states Jones. “I could give you a list of all the places I enjoy going – from restaurants to parks to piers and aquariums – and I could wax poetic about how those experiences add value and freedom to my life. The bottom line, though, is that I see all my doctors/specialists every four to six months for appointments and/or procedures, and now I have no practical way to get to those vital appointments.”
The next day, Jones happened to mention her predicament on Facebook in her usual “isn’t life funny” way that emulated her sense of humor, but not one of her longtime friends thought of her dire situation as humorous. Within days, the campaign “Wheels For Julie: Van Doesn’t Run” came to light. Chris Barela, a graphic designer from Rancho Santa Margarita, California, and Chad Duncan, a Social Worker from Texas, head up a team of entrepreneurs, filmmakers, authors, and singer/songwriters to build the campaign that hopes to raise the $30,000 Julie’s family needs to purchase a medically enhanced van. In order to reach for support beyond their social circle, Julie’s friends have been organizing and hosting multiple events in hopes of donations. Their brainstorming has included a catchy reworking of “Band on the Run” to “Van Doesn’t Run” on YouTube to increase awareness, a crowdfunding page on IndieGoGo (where Julie’s publisher contributes support by supplying eBook copies of Julie’s Halloween novella, “Jack of the Lantern” for a $25 donation), as well as an event at two Fountain Valley Taco Bell locations earlier this November, which Steve Smith, franchise owner and fellow alumni, donated profits from one Saturday afternoon of sales.
To this date, the efforts of Julie’s friends have been a success, but on December 18, 2014, the IndieGoGo campaign will expire. The group of theatre and choir alumni who have banded together for one final production are overjoyed to have reached approximately 60% of the $30,000 goal, but they do not dare temper their efforts until they reach 100%. For Julie, a means of transportation is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website: www.wheelsforjulie.com
IndieGoGo: www.indiegogo.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com
Youtube Video: www.youtube.com
