Concert to help Batavia girl buy wheelchair

A Valentine's Day concert will help raise money to buy a Batavia girl some independence.

Author and singer Jim Gill will perform at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Rotolo Middle School, 1501 S. Raddant Road in Batavia. Proceeds from ticket sales will help buy a motorized wheelchair for Allie Gagnon, a fifth-grader at H.C. Storm Elementary School in Batavia.

The concert is organized by the Tri-Cities Mothers of Twins and Triplets Club, of which Allie's mother is a member. Allie is a twin.

Tickets are $8.50 in advance or $10 at the door. They can also be purchased at alliegagnon.org.

After the show, there will be food, temporary tattoos and face painting to raise money for the fund.

Allie has cerebral palsy, and presently is wheeled around by family, aides and other students. A motorized wheelchair has been recommended by doctors. It will allow her to use a standing position, which will promote circulation in her legs. The chair will also prevent muscle and bone deformities by allowing her to change position frequently.

And it will be good for her self-confidence and independence, said Laura Sheppard, spokeswoman for the event. "It will allow her to do a lot more on her own," Sheppard said.

The cost of the chair, and a specially-equipped van to drive her, is about $75,000. The family's present van cannot be retrofitted for the ramp that will be needed to accommodate the new wheelchair. The family has medical insurance, but much of the cost of Allie's medical equipment is not covered.

The concert is part of the Tri-Cities Mothers of Twins and Triplets Club's campaign, "Spreading Sunshine for Allie." There will be a "Walk and Roll for Allie's Independence" on April 19.