Wheels in Motion raised $11,804

Halton Hills will benefit from funds raised at the first annual Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion presented by Scotiabank. Bill Leslie, Garry Gore and Chris Kenopic led a team of volunteers in the community to help raise over $11,804. Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion is an annual event held in communities across Canada-- this year for the first time in Halton Hills. Each June, tens of thousands of people wheel, walk or run to raise funds that improve the quality of life of people with spinal cord injury and related disabilities, and for research. The Quality of Life funds raised by the Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion event in Halton Hills will be used to assist in the purchase of an elevator as part of a renovation project for Bethany Winter, a young Georgetown girl with occipital encephalocele, a congenital neurological disorder. The renovation project will provide her with a fully accessible bedroom and bathroom, access through an elevator to the living room, computer room and play room, as well as paving the family's driveway and providing proper access to the front and back yards. The goal of the project is to allow her to be able to access all areas of her home so that she is more able to participate in family and social activities. "We're extremely grateful to the volunteers who continue to help make this annual event a success. For more than 20 years my dream has been to make communities accessible and inclusive for everyone, to improve the quality of life for people living with spinal cord injury and to someday find a cure. Your generous contribution through Wheels In Motion has brought that dream one step closer to being a reality," said Rick Hansen, president and CEO, Rick Hansen Foundation. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Rick Hansen's Man In Motion World Tour. In 1985, Hansen pushed his wheelchair out of Vancouver, BC and set out on a journey that would make history. His Man In Motion World Tour spanned more than 40,000 km through 34 countries; took over two years to complete; and raised more than $26 million. Hansen's incredible achievement became a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of teamwork. His courage and determination inspired Canadians to believe in the possibility of a fully accessible and inclusive society, and a cure for spinal cord injury. The second annual Wheels In Motion event will be held on Sunday June 10th, 2007. To get involved and help organize an event in your community, visit the website at www.rickhansen.com or call 1-86660-WHEEL (1-866-609-4335).