Aug. 25, 2006

Garden City, N.Y. - On Friday, September 1 the Adelphi volleyball team is kicking off their season by hosting a volleyball tournament and fundraiser. Along with Adelphi, Philadelphia Biblical, American International and Southern Connecticut State are competing in the two-day event, which will be used to raise money for the Free Wheelchair Mission.

During the tournament there will be a table in the lobby of Woodruff Hall with information on the Free Wheelchair Mission along with a cash box for donations. In addition the volleyball team will be running a 50/50 raffle at each match (three per day) with the proceeds going to the Free Wheelchair Mission.

Free Wheelchair Mission was founded in 1999 by Don Schoendorfer. To help the over 100,000,000 adults and children for whom the dream of a wheelchair is worlds beyond their imagination. Schoendorfer's mission was to create a simple, rugged and inexpensive wheelchair that provides mobility, restores dignity and gives someone and their associated family a chance for a better life.

Donations are collected today and sent to the Free Wheelchair Mission headquarters where a team of volunteers assembles a wheelchair for $44.40. Several times during the year, another team of volunteers travels to poorer countries, and delivers the wheelchairs first-hand to those who need them. To date the coalition has delivered over 130,000 wheelchairs to over 57 countries.

For more information on the Free Wheelchair Mission log onto: www.freewheelchairmission.org.