Klamath Falls, Ore. – A 5-year-old boy from Klamath County is now able to explore the wilderness in a special wheelchair, thanks to a variety of fundraising efforts.
Logan Roninger’s new wheelchair can cover a lot of ground. The off-road track chair has a lot of features. “Lights, horn – speeds up, speeds down,” said Logan Roninger.
Local high schools helped to raise about $11,000 of the chair’s $13,000 cost. “That money was raised through ‘miracle minutes’ at basketball games,” said Logan’s mother, Trisha Roninger. “Asking the crowd to dump their pocket change in a bucket.”
Teacher Nat Ellis even sold a 25-year collection of fast food toys online to raise money. “Those happy meal toys were an incredible blessing, because that got us a lot of publicity; it made national news,” said Trisha Roninger.
Logan’s Dad Rob Roninger says his son was hesitant when the chair first arrived just before Christmas, but Logan caught on quickly. “He started inching forward, and then in a just a couple minutes he went off driving it,” Rob Roninger said.
Logan says it took him about 9 days to figure out the chair. Rob Roninger says Logan isn’t hesitant about using the chair anymore, and he typically wants to drive it around for 2, 3, even 4 hours.
Logan lives with a condition known as spinal muscular atrophy, but a lot of little donations have provided Logan with a new sense of freedom.
Logan and his parents are very thankful. “You have no idea the different you’ve made in our lives, and we can’t say thank you enough,” said Trisha Roninger said. “Thank you,” added Logan.
Logan can now spend more time outdoors with his parents, who both work as biologists. They’re in the process of getting a cargo trailer for Logan’s chairs, and have plans for a trip to the coast.
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