A family's donation of an electric wheelchair to the Malvern Volunteer Fire Department, and assistance by the Malvern American Legion Valley Post 375, brought a smile and increased mobility to a Minerva wheelchair-bound teen.
Sarah Tiller, 15, has been cruising around her backyard with enthusiasm. "I really, really like it and I want to thank them," she said.
Sarah giggles as her mother, Tammee, recounts how she and her grandmother, Connie Nigro, watched as Sarah did laps for hours after getting the new wheelchair. Sarah got proficient with the chair and a sunburn. Nigro promptly bought Sarah an umbrella to attach to the chair.
"Her smile is worth more than we could ever have received for selling it," said Malvern Fire Chief Ralph Castellucci of the electric wheelchair donated to the fire department a few years ago.
According to Richard Ferguson, the electric wheelchair was donated by Ron and Pat Suciu of Lake Mohawk. While the fire department planned to fix up and sell the wheelchair, the firefighters never got around to it. Castellucci believes the wheelchair was meant to go to Sarah.
According to Castellucci, the firefighters cleaned up the wheelchair, but it still needed a battery. The Malvern American Legion Valley Post 375 graciously stepped in to purchase the $600 battery.
"It is good the post is doing so well that it can do work like this and help people," said Legion Commander Preston Anderson. "The post has charitable accounts set up there and they must be used for charitable projects. By people patronizing the (Legion hall), it makes it possible to help the community."
Sarah, the daughter of Dee and Tammee Tiller of Minerva, is a freshman at Carrollton High School. Tammee points out the new wheelchair not only increases Sarah's mobility, easing the calluses and blisters on her hands, but the height of the chair enables her to access the freezer to get her own treats.
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