Grant helps make Cobourg teen's home more accessible

By Karen Longwell
Funds used for elevator
COBOURG -- A Cobourg teen with spina bifida will soon have total access to her home, thanks to a grant from a local supermarket.
Elizabeth Brown, 19, was born with spina bifida, a condition which limits mobility.Elizabeth, a Grade 12 Cobourg District Collegiate Institute East student, uses walking aides or a wheelchair to get around. Her mother, Wendy Brown, said they moved to their Cobourg home a year ago from Colborne. The new home has ramps and is very accessible except for the stairs leading to a fully finished basement, Ms. Brown said.
Ms. Brown heard about President's Choice Children's Charity through a therapist at Elizabeth's school. She shops at David's No Frills in Cobourg and picked up an application. Earlier this month, she heard the family would receive a $20,000 grant to install a vertical lift platform, a type of elevator, in the home, said Ms. Brown. Elizabeth has not been able to access the basement since the family moved to the home. The elevator will give Elizabeth the freedom to use the entire home, Ms. Brown added.
"It is going to bring her a lot of independence. She can do what she wants, when she wants," Ms. Brown said. "It means a lot."
Elizabeth has one more year of high school and although she's not sure what she wants to do in the future, she enjoys computers.
"She is our computer wizard," Ms. Brown said.
President's Choice Children's Charity is a national charity that helps kids in their community, said David Crimi, owner of David's No Frills, in a press release. The staff at No Frills raised money for the charity by selling $2 "smile cards" in the store, where customers write their names on the cards for display, and through direct employee contributions.
"The staff have done a fabulous job raising money so we can help kids like Elizabeth, but there is so much more we need to do and so many more kids we can help," Mr. Crimi said.
President's Choice Children's Charity also recently awarded two other grants to local families for autism therapy and respite care.
President's Choice Children's Charity focuses on removing some of the obstacles that make everyday living extremely difficult, and provides youth with a renewed sense of dignity, independence and freedom by giving them funding for adaptive equipment, environmental modifications, therapy and more. The charity ensures 100 per cent of every dollar donated goes directly to helping children. It has awarded more than $46 million, helping more 6,500 families across Canada