Help Jeff get a Wheelchair Van

Hello there, our names are Kaylee and Janelle Bobula, and we are fundraising to help our dad, Jeff, purchase a wheelchair van. The cost of a brand new wheelchair van is astronomical, typically costing upwards of $90,000, so dad opted for a quality preowned van instead. Seeing as a wheelchair van is a very expensive investment, we are asking for the help of our community to donate in support of our father's new wheelchair van. As a vehicle gives an able-bodied person more independence, a wheelchair van would do the same for our dad who is wheelchair-bound and in need of a more reliable vehicle.

For those who don't know our dad or his story, we thought it would be important to share about his accident and current condition. On Kaylee's first birthday held on August 29th, 2004, our parents rented an inflatable bouncy castle for guests to enjoy. When dad went in, he started bouncing around but lost control and fell backwards onto his neck, rendering him a C5 quadriplegic instantly and changing his life forever. He cannot walk nor use his hands and only has partial use of his arms. He spent 10 months in the rehabilitation hospital at the Health Sciences Centre and one year at a transitional housing complex called 1010 Sinclair in Garden City, clear across town from our family home in Island Lakes. During this time, dad visited us almost every day using Handy Transit or the city bus, which was adequate but very inconvenient.

Dad currently owns a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan wheelchair van that is breaking down quite often and needs to be replaced. Therefore, he recently purchased a 2015 Toyota sienna wheelchair van with the hopes to sell the Dodge and secure a good down payment on the Toyota. But when it came time to do the safety inspection on the Dodge, the mechanic discovered the frame was rusted through in many places and irreparable, rendering the van unsellable in its dilapidated state. Consequently, the down payment that he thought would be a few thousand dollars quickly depleted to selling the van for parts, only securing a few hundred dollars for the cost of his new van. Dad was disheartened and crushed at this revelation, so we decided to create this GoFundMe page to support him during this financially strained time.

Dad loves his independence; being able to do what he wants when he wants and not having to worry about missing out on events that keep him happy and motivated. A good quality wheelchair van enables him to do so. He loves to attend sporting events; whether it be our own amateur sports of ringette, soccer and softball, or professional sports such as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Winnipeg Gold Eyes or Winnipeg Jets. He also loves spending time in nature; going to the beach, the lake or even just the park for a cruise in his wheelchair. A van also allows him to go to all his medical appointments, run errands, volunteer, visit friends and family, and go to events on his own terms. Hence, a wheelchair van of his own enables our dad to live life to its full potential and spend valuable time with those who bring him joy.

Any contribution made to help us help our father secure a high-quality van is much appreciated! Thank you so much for reading and please reach out if you have any questions for us!