Help make a difference for Chief by donating to repair his Handicap-Accessible Van.

Ernest “Chief” Rogers was born with a birth defect known to the medical world as “Osteogenesis Imperfecta” or Brittle Bone Disease.

It is a genetic or heritable disease in which bones fracture (break) easily, often with no obvious cause or minimal injury. The symptoms can range from mild with only a few fractures to severe with many medical complications.

As years went by Chief eventually had to use a motorized wheelchair to go about his daily activities. He acquired a 2015 Van that helped him gain some independence and the ability to get around the community with some ease. His van has a ramp that makes it possible for him to drive his wheelchair into the van and use it as his driver's seat. The ramp makes it easier for Chief to pick up some of his friends in wheelchairs, and bring them to Church too. The irregular steering wheel with attachments is specially designed to allow him to maneuver the vehicle with ease. A couple of months ago, the transmission of his van stopped working and Chief and his friends, with disabilities, have not been able to attend church for the past 2 months or so, due to limited mobility.

Due to the kindness of the heart of a mechanic who considered his situation, the shop gave him a discounted quotation for a new transmission for $3,000.00. A new van would cost about $80,000 to add specialized equipment to it on top of the cost of the vehicle itself. So repairing his van would be the most reasonable most practical solution.

His friends at the Granite Bay Hilltop SDA Special Needs Ministry are setting up this Gofundme account to help raise the funds needed to repair his van. Your generous support, no matter how small, would be greatly appreciated, and it would make a world of difference for Chief. Thank you so much and God richly bless you.