St. Kieran

Catholic Church

Chicago Heights,  IL  

Last year in our St. Kieran Bulletin, we ran an article about the mayor of Chicago Heights taking up a collection to buy wheelchairs needed in the “Sister City” of Chicago Heights, Wadowice, Poland. For those of you who contributed and for those of you who might be interested, here is a follow-up article published in the Sokol Polski, publication of the Polish Falcons of America in December 2005. (Reprinted with permission.)

Wheelchair Foundation Delivers Hope

By Eugene Sadus

            After months of planning, a container of 240 wheelchairs arrived in Wadowice, Poland (birthplace of Pope John Paul II), during the third week of September 2005. the City of Wadowice, sister city to Chicago Heights, Ill., received 183 wheelchairs for its poor and disabled citizens. Funds for the project were raised by the Chicago Heights-Wadowice Sister Cities Committee in Chicago Heights. Matching funds were provided by the “Wheelchairs for Peace” initiative.

            Eugene Sadus, a Nest 42 Chicago Heights, IL member, and Chairman of the Chicago Heights-Wadowice Sister Cities Committee, along with several members of his committee, traveled to Wadowice to help distribute the chairs. At the distribution ceremony, Druh Sadus represented Chicago Heights mayor, Anthony DeLuca and the Illinois Chapter of Sister Cities International. On Thursday, Sept. 22, 183 recipients—children, teens and adults—received their individual chairs.

            The Wheelchair Foundation, with its headquarters in Danville, Calif., was founded by philanthropist Kenneth Behring in June of 2000. Under the sponsorship of Sister Cities International, the Chicago-Heights-Wadowice Sister Cities Committee entered the “Wheelchairs for Peace” program in November 2003.

            As a nonprofit organization, the mission of the Wheelchair Foundation seeks to “Lead an international effort to create awareness of the need and abilities of people with physical disabilities, promote the joy of giving, create global friendship and to deliver a wheelchair to every child, teen and adult in the world that needs one, but cannot afford one.  For these people the Wheelchair Foundation delivers Hope, Mobility and Freedom.”

            During the celebration, Druh Sadus, speaking with a slight ripple in his voice, expressed his deep affection for all the recipients who were assigned their new wheelchairs. He noted that the wheelchairs “symbolized a gift of joy that will forever transform their lives.” Druh Sadus concluded his remarks by saying “I will never regret the day I accepted the responsibility for this endeavor. Our mission has been accomplished!”