2007 AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS
$35,000!
Thank you to all who participated in the 36th Annual AMBUC Charity Auction. It was another record year with over $35,000 in proceeds.
Receipts from the May 4 AMBUCS Charity Auction were given to representatives of more than 30 local Charitable and non-profit organizations at a special awards banquet on Tuesday evening at the Pekin Country Club.
This year's general auction chairman Dr. Jeff Dill and Pekin AMBUCS President Ron Harlan handed out checks totaling $35,000 from the Club's 36th Charity Auction.
Highlight of this year's banquet was the awarding of an AmTryke therapeutic tricycle to 11-year-old Pekin 5th grader Ian Massey. Born with Down's syndrome, Ian has a problem with balance. The AmTryke therapeutic tricycle is a specially equipped tricycle designed for a child’s physical size and disability.
Various AmTryke models are available to accommodate toddlers to teenagers. In addition to standard foot pedals, some AmTrykes are equipped with pedals for hand and arm operation as well. The tricycle allows disabled children to experience the pleasure of riding freely even among peers without disabilities.
Physical therapist, acknowledges the AmTryke's therapeutic benefits to patients, citing improved motor skills and strength development. The concept of the AmTryke tricycle was inspired by a therapist. Ian's parents, Rich and Chris Massey, along with AMBUCS National President-Elect Connie Oltman of Bloomington, were present for the awarding of the AmTryke.
Other recipients of AMBUCS Auction funds included the Boys & Girls Club of Pekin, the Pekin YWCA, Shade Memorial Youth Camp, TCRC, PCHS After Prom Excitement, Schramm Educational Center, Youth Farm, Illinois River Valley Special Recreation Association Program, and the Salvation Army.
Recipients also included Tazewell County Children’s Advocacy Center, House of Hope, AMBUCS Good Bear program to provide a teddy bear to children in Pekin Hospital, Children's Home, Dream Factory, Tazwood Mental Health Center, Christian Civic Outreach, TAPS, Twilight Wish Granting Foundation, Boy Scouts, Children's Hospital of Illinois, Red Cross, and Camp of Champions.
Funds were also set aside for the AMBUCS Living Endowment Scholarships for therapists national program, U of I Cooperative Extension Service, Peoria Area Troop Support (PATS), American Diabetes Association, and ICC Scholarships for physical therapy assistants program.
Three physical therapy students, Lainey Hawkins, Cory Pfanz and Tracy Lohman received scholarship funding from the Fahnders Memorial Scholarship Fund. The scholarships are named in the honor of the late Colonel Mike Fahnders of Pekin, the AMBUC Club's first charity auctioneer 36 years ago, and the auctioneer responsible for rallying the aid of other auctioneers to donate their time and talent to the annual charity auction.
Click here to read the Pekin Daily Times article on the AmTryke Presentation
