(1888PressRelease)
February 05, 2008 - 1800Wheelchair, a full-service online retailer of mobility equipment, today announced the 2008 scholarship program finalist. Established in 2006, the program awards $500 to assist an undergraduate student of a junior or four-year college with their academic pursuits. The scholarship program was developed for college students because they represent a significant portion of people in need of mobility assistance.
According to more than 600 students who entered the 1800wheelchair.com Scholarship Essay Contest, being disabled in college means facing both social and physical obstacles. It’s been 15 years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, yet disabled students say they still struggle with accessibility on campus. The challenges don’t end with the physical environment—students say colleges and universities need to improve understanding and acceptance. This year, the second for the scholarship, entrants were asked to write an essay explaining what changes they would make on campus to better the lives of disabled students. Increased accessibility was the paramount concern. Students not only call for more and better facilities, but for more attentive maintenance programs. Several students reported shocking negligence in the upkeep and planning of automatic doors, elevators and dorm facilities. Joseph Piekarski, founder of 1800wheelchair.com, says it was hearing these kinds of stories that prompted this year’s essay topic. “It always amazes me to hear that accessibility is still an issue in this day and age,” Piekarski says.
And The Winner Is…
The winner of this year’s $500 scholarship is Jeromie Ballreich, a student at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Jeromie began school able-bodied and says he never thought much about accessibility until an auto accident that left him with two broken vertebrae. Since then, he’s become an advocate for disabled students, working to raise awareness and improve facilities at his school. He was recently appointed to Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities. Jeromie’s winning essay called for a holistic approach to assisting students with disabilities, “Employment, athletic events, social events—being a student is more than going to class,” he says. 1800wheelchair.com congratulates Jeromie and is proud to give voice to these important issues.
About 1800Wheelchair - 1800Wheelchair opened in 1998 with a clear mission - to fill a void in the mobility equipment market. The idea grew out of the founder’s belief that e-commerce would be especially beneficial to people in need of mobility assistance, allowing them to shop from the comfort and convenience of their home. After the launch of its Web site, 1800wheelchair became the first online mobility supply company of its kind. Today, the company offers more than 1,200 products in 100 different categories and has access to inventory in over 25 warehouses around the country. It has serviced more than 100,000 customers. For more information, please visit www.1800wheelchair.com.
Media inquiries, contact: scholarship ( @ ) 1800wheelchair dot com dot
More information:
http://www.1800wheelchair.com/scholarship/
1-800-Wheelchair
320 Roebling, Suite 515
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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