HardFolks Concert: WheelChair Drive

July 19th 2009 8 PM
The Living Room NYC

From Leif Arntzen
To: Friends Of Scotty Hard
Dear Friends

Last month Scotty and I went to a disability exposition in Raritan, South Jersey. He was interested to see the state-of-the-art wheelchairs and beds for people with spinal chord injuries. We looked at dozens of wheelchairs, beds, aids, wheels, frames, from all kinds of manufacturers, and pretty soon I got the hang of talking with the salespeople, many in wheelchairs themselves, hawking their products. Scott talked in detail with all the guys, but with one guy in particular. He was in a chair -- called the TiLite ZR -- that was clearly lighter and more streamlined than the rest, with the least moving parts, and some features that really could make wheelchair travel in NYC faster and safer. TiLite is a manufacturer based in Washington State that specializes in titanium, manual wheelchairs. As they say on their website (www.tilite.com), their chairs are designed to "help users remain independent longer, experience reduced body stress, and incur fewer posture-related problems."
Scott's current chair seems like a rusty old tank compared to the TiLite. We went to a local diner and got an insanely huge corn beef sandwich to split. Scott asked me what I thought. I said, "Well, I think if it was me, I'd be looking for the best wheelchair I could find, so I could get where I need to go." He called me a couple weeks later to see if I thought it was a good idea to get that chair. "Absolutely. What are we waiting for?"
Here are some of the specific benefits of the TiLite:
- it is almost 40 lbs. lighter than his present model
- it provides a much smoother and faster ride because the tires are air-filled and don't have deep, biting treads
- the rigid frame is ergonomically designed to absorb bumps
- he will sit lower, which will allow better access under tables and through doorways and gives better position for propulsion
- the larger wheels also give better propulsion
- the lighter weight and easy collapseability allows for convenient car travel, which in turn
makes it easier for him to be more spontaneous about travelling and not so tied to the slow and unpredictable Access-a-Ride
Unfortunately, the TiLite costs a lot of money, a big hit to the Trust Fund. So I told Scott we should start a Wheelchair Drive to raise the funds. So friends, here's the first WheelChair Drive to help pay for it. Whatever you can manage to send will be huge. On July 19th, we'll stage a concert in NYC specifically for this purpose, and dedicate all the money to help finance the TiLite ZR. The concert will include Brad Roberts, Seth Herzog, the Reverend Vince Anderson, Gachupin, Not Waving But Drowning, Mike Ferrio of Tandy, Chris Brown, Leif Arntzen of TLAB, Michael Blake, and an extended cast of your favorite musicians. Plus a very special guest star performance by none other then Scotty Hard, the Comeback Kid. If you can come, the concert will be a blast. If not, please send what you can.Here's the links to buy tickets in advance:HardFolks Concert: WheelChair Drive Or if you prefer to donate direct to the Scotty Hard Trust click here:Scotty Hard Trust Or if you prefer to donate by cheque, mail to:Heesok ChangTrustee, Scotty Hard Trust970 Kent Ave #401Brooklyn, NY 11205
So that's the pitch my friends. See you at the concert. And thanks for all your donations.
xoxo
Leif