TAMPA, Fla. — A Polk County man has helped to collect hundreds of used wheelchairs to help people in need in developing countries. Joe Whitehurst has a personal reason for what he does.
On a recent morning, Whitehurst and Christ Community Presbyterian Church youth pastor Jonathan Spencer were moving some of the latest donated wheelchairs from the church building into trailer so they could take them to a storage unit. “Our church rents a ten by 20 storage facility,” said Whitehurst. “We collect them for several weeks or months before we do a big load.”
Whitehurst says he has a number of sources for getting donated used wheelchairs from a number of local counties. “From individuals, and we get them from assisted living facilities. From hospitals. From adult congregate living facilities. Anywhere we can get them he said.”
Once the church collects many wheelchairs, a Walmart truck takes them to an out of state correctional facility where inmates rehabilitate them. “It gives an opportunity for the prisoners to learn things about repairing different devices and to feel good about themselves,” said Whitehurst. “Because they are doing something that will benefit someone else.”
Once the wheelchairs are fixed, the Joni and Friends organization gets them to people in need in developing counties. Whitehurst says the wheelchairs are part of a legacy. “Because it belonged to someone. Son, daughter, mother, dad, husband, wife. And they depended on it for mobility.”
Whitehurst has a personal reason for being involved with Joni and Friends. At about the same time he graduated with a degree in physical therapy, his son Andy, was born. Andy has cerebral palsy, Asbergers and learning delays. He often uses a wheelchair. “Well, I figured God has given him us because there is an assumption I know what to do with him.” Whitehurst said his wife is Andy’s primary caregiver.
“It’s been so much fun to get somebody like Joe to really be the champion behind all this,” said Spencer. “Because without him we would be nowhere near the amount of wheelchairs we are collecting by far.”
Whitehurst said being part of the wheelchair program has been great for him.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “You are giving a person a higher level of mobility and safety, and it’s a warm feeling inside.”