Back row from left to right:
Fran Walenta (Grampy’s Charities board member), Jimmy Castle (Grampy’s Charities board member), David Essig (Grampy’s Charities board member), Grampy, Katie Betz (Garrison Betz’ mother), Bob Risch (Grampy’s Charities board member), Jack Johanneman (Save the Kids Fund board member), Claire Le Boulenge (Golisano Children’s Hospital pediatric physical therapist)
Front row from left to right:
Aaron Zapata, Blake Nawrocki (5-year-old with cerebral palsy), Maximo Zapata (8-year-old with Down syndrome), Garrison Betz (6-year-old with Angelman Syndrome), Sienna Gonzalez
Robbie’s Riders, Grampy’s Charities and Sanibel Captiva Community Bank presented two adaptive tricycles, worth more than $2,000, to Naples children during the 2nd Annual Grampy’s Pro-Am, presented by Sanibel Captiva Community Bank at Fiddlesticks Country Club.
The tournament was established 30 years ago by McDonald’s owner/operator Fred Frederic, founder of the Fort Myers Ronald McDonald House until his passing in 2015. At that time, Grampy’s Charities graciously offered to coordinate future tournaments and raised more than $80,000 at the inaugural Pro-Am in 2017. The 2018 tournament raised $100,000 to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida.
Maximo Zapata, an 8-year-old with Down syndrome, and Emilio Alfonso Feal, a 6-year-old with Autism, received custom tricycles that will assist with general strengthening, new proprioceptive sensory input, and improved reciprocal coordination of the legs. They can now participate in activities with their families and peers, and enjoy the normal childhood experience of riding a bike.
Robbie’s Riders provides special adaptive bicycles and tricycles to children with disabilities, according to their individual capacities and needs. The charity works to donate special needs cycles as quickly as they can raise funds to purchase them. Working with Claire Le Boulenge, a pediatric physical therapist with Golisano Children’s Hospital who donates her services to assist, each child is evaluated and fitted for his or her own special adaptive cycle.
Grampy’s Charities raises funds and support for children’s organizations by partnering with comfort and research-based charities to make a difference in the lives of kids who need it most. An all-volunteer organization with no paid staff, they have donated more than $3 million to children’s charities over more than 25 years. For more information, visit www.grampyscharities.org.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida creates, finds, and supports programs that directly impact the health and well-being of children and their families in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry counties. RMHC of SWFL supports The Ronald McDonald House, The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile and The Ronald McDonald Family Room, at Golisano Children’s Hospital. For more information about RMHC Southwest Florida, visit www.rmhcswfl.org.
