IRVINE The partnership between the Free Wheelchair Mission and the Surf City USA Marathon was inked three years ago on a Diedrich Coffeehouse napkin.

The plan hatched on that napkin went on to raise $500,000 last year for the Irvine-based Free Wheelchair Mission, which distributes rugged, low-cost wheelchairs to needy disabled people in dozens of developing countries.

"Our relationship with the marathon has allowed us to reach a lot of people we wouldn't have been able to reach otherwise," said Don Schoendorfer, president and founder of the charity organization. "It's a real blessing."

More than 16,000 runners have registered for the nearly sold-out marathon, half marathon and 5K race to be held Sunday, Feb. 3 near the Huntington Beach Pier. About 500 of those runners will be participating as part of the third annual Run For Mobility, raising money to supply wheelchairs through the Free Wheelchair Mission. Race registration is free for those who raise at least $500 in pledges.

This year's goal is to raise $650,000 – enough buy and distribute 13,000 wheelchairs.

While conventional wheelchairs can cost anywhere from $500 to $30,000, Schoendorfer, a mechanical engineer, developed one that costs just $48.35 to manufacture and deliver. It's a simple contraption, made from a plastic lawn chair and 24-inch mountain bike tires. These waterproof and durable wheelchairs can easily navigate the unpaved, rocky and rutted roads that are common in the impoverished countries served by the charity.

The wheelchairs represent freedom – for those who were relegated to a bed, who rarely left their homes, who had to resort to crawling in the streets. They're disabled due to diabetes or polio or land mines or birth defects. For them, mobility means going to school, church, or the doctor's office. It means enjoying sunshine and fresh air.

"The amount of impact that $48 can make is so dramatic," said Amy Tomchak, president of the Surf City USA Marathon. She and Free Wheelchair Mission board member John Sexton crafted the plan on that coffeehouse napkin.

Tomchak hopes the marathon will help the Free Wheelchair Mission achieve its goal of distributing 20 million wheelchairs worldwide by 2015. More than 300,000 have been given out to date, with long waiting lists in 74 countries including Peru, Chile, Vietnam, China, India and Iraq.

The Free Wheelchair Mission has an $8 million annual budget, and partners with Christian mission organizations, which find people in need and distribute the wheelchairs free. The mission has also partnered with the U.S. Army, which is handing the wheelchairs out to people in Iraq.

The wheelchairs are made in China and assembled by volunteers at their destination. Although exact figures aren't available, it is estimated that two percent of the U.S. population needs a wheelchair. Extrapolated worldwide, that means at least 100 million people can't walk.

"The need for wheelchairs is unrecognized in the U.S.," Schoendorfer said. "You don't see people crawling on the ground here. But once we overcome their doubt, people want to help, especially when they realize that a $50 contribution can change someone's life for years to come."

Doug Drotman
Drotman Communications
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