Westchester Parks Foundation Fundraising For All-Terrain Trackchairs

MOUNT KISCO, NY —The Westchester Parks Foundation (WPF) is celebrating #GivingTuesday this year with a month-long campaign to raise money to kickstart the first-ever Adaptive Hike Program within Westchester County Parks.

The organization is looking to purchase two trail-capable All-Terrain Trackchairs for hikers to reserve at no cost throughout Westchester County Parks. The campaign will run through #GivingTuesday on November 29.

"This past summer, we did a pilot program at Saxon Woods Park for individuals living with paraplegia, quadriplegia, amputation, and cerebral palsy, and the response was phenomenal," stated Erin Cordiner, WPF Director of Philanthropy & Community Engagement. "Experiencing the positive impact these chairs make possible is the reason we decided to engage our corporate partners, local businesses, committed volunteers, and fellow parksters to help us achieve our goal and fund two All-Terrain Trackchairs so we can launch this essential program in Spring 2023."

The testimonials were remarkable.

Stefanie Nikprelaj from Bedford, who has Cerebal Palsy said the All-Terrain Trackchair changed how she feels about a day at the park.

"This changes my perspective on the outdoors because normally there’s nothing for me to do, but with chairs like this, I have a bunch of opportunities," she said.

Veteran Lu Caldara from Ossining said the chairs could be a game changer for disabled vets.

"It will give veterans the opportunity to be active with their families, particularly the grandchildren to get out and see more than just concrete," Caldara explained. "It will help our veterans get back to the quiet and nature…[while] interacting with friends and family."

Rome Leykin of Stamford, who is living with bilateral double above knee amputation, also participated in the pilot program.

"What I can do with this wheelchair is get back to the nitty gritty dirty trails that I have not been to since my accident,"Leykin said. "It’s that freedom, the smells of nature, you can’t get that anywhere else. It’s important to give adaptive athletes the opportunity to be out in the wilderness again."

#GivingTuesday is a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Community members can make trails accessible to all possible by contributing here.

Westchester Parks Foundation is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, philanthropic organization which provides private support to preserve the County’s park system and improve the quality of life in our communities. Westchester Parks Foundation’s mission is to engage the public to advocate for and invest in the preservation, conservation, use, and enjoyment of the 18,000 acres of parks, trails and open spaces within the Westchester County Parks system. Find more information here.