JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Volunteers through Brooks Rehab gave the gift of playtime and mobility Saturday morning after they built 15 customized cars to gift to children with disabilities.
They’ve done this beautiful act of kindness for seven years.
Starting at 8 a.m., the building turned into a workshop, as the volunteers worked to bring something truly special to children with disabilities.
It’s all made possible through First Coast Cruisers.
This is the first time Michelle Mauch volunteered for this event. She worked on a ride for a little boy named Wyatt.
“Wyatt clearly, really loved the blue racecar and they made sure he got the blue flames, which is fantastic,” Mauch said.
Mauch said volunteering for this event was a special opportunity.
“As a parent of two kids, that’s what you want. You want your kids to be out playing with other kids and hoping they have those experiences. Being able to give that to another family is just unspeakable,” Mauch said.
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Before the fun decorating got underway, the cars were worked on to make sure the modifications were safe and good to go.
Amber Katada showed News4JAX how a special railing will help children with limited upper mobility.
“They’ll actually lay a hand on either side instead of having to use their full grip strength. So, they can just lay their hands down and turn from one side to the other,” Katada said.
Jessie Cristof, project manager for First Coast Cruisers, said seeing the look on the children’s faces when they get their first car is “just magical.”
“You’ll see tears across the room, you’ll see the light on the kids, they just light up,” Cristof said. “They have this huge smile.”
Cristof said this means a lot to the parents as well.
“As soon as that kid goes in the car, I look at the caregiver to see their reaction. A lot of them, it’s their first time seeing their kid move and do something independently. The kid gets to pick what direction they go, and they get to depend on how fast or how slow they want to go,” Cristof said.
The theme for this year’s event was “Play Is a Human Right.” A human right that means so much.
Giving the gift of play to local children — making them feel loved and special.
If you’d like to learn more about First Coast Cruisers, including how to nominate a child for a future mobility car, visit this website.
