St. Charles Kiwanis dedicates wheelchair swing at all-inclusive playground
On Thursday, July 15, about 60 Kiwanians and friends attended the dedication of a wheelchair swing in the new sensory garden and all-inclusive playground at Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles.
The garden/playground features landscapes that appeal to the senses and is a place where everyone can play.
The wheelchair swing, believed to be the first of its kind in the Tri-Cities, was donated by the St. Charles Kiwanis Club.
It was dedicated to the memory of Dan Schmidt, the son of John and Sherry Schmidt of St. Charles. His father, a longtime Kiwanian, cut the ribbon at the dedication.
Dan, a 2006 graduate of St. Charles East High School and 2010 graduate of Columbia College in Chicago, passed away from Muscular Dystrophy in 2016. He was a very caring and giving young man who accomplished much in his 29 years including involvement in jazz band, student ministry, peer leadership, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and his own podcast "Across the Airwaves."
In 2007, he was given the Hometown Heroes Award as Youth Good Samaritan by the American Red Cross.
A wheelchair swing differs from other ADA-accessible swings because there is no need to transfer from a wheelchair to use it, making the whole process easier. Its donation is part of the St. Charles Kiwanis Club's Signature Project, which aims to help the community's children in a more permanent way.
The club welcomes new members. Learn more at www.kiwanisofstcharles.org or www.facebook.com/StCharlesKiwanis/.