The event raised $20,000 of the $25,000 the family needed, and the charitable fund started through its network to raise the rest. The Swift Eagle Foundation, the Gallegos Corporation and the Eagle County Ambulance District picked up the rest of the tab.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith all the people who supported us in all the aspects that made possible the accomplishment of our goal, Wheels for Joshua taught me that there are still many generous people who have a heart of gold,\u201d Monica said. \u201cWe are very fortunate to have found them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joshua attends Gypsum Creek Middle School. When he was eight months old, he contracted meningitis, which resulted in many hospital stays. Since then he has been diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy, intractable seizure disorder and other mental and motor delays.<\/p>\n
The Casillas family asked the Vail Valley Charitable Fund for help.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsually the maximum grant is $5,000, and that won\u2019t go very far when you\u2019re buying a van like the one they needed,\u201d said Michelle Maloney, VVCF executive director.<\/p>\n
After an exhaustive search, the charitable fund found a wheelchair conversion van at Summit Auto and Cycle in Zumbrota, Minnesota. The van is a 2010 Ford E150 with 75,000 miles on it. Summit Ford was asking $21,888, but sold it to the Vail Valley Charitable Fund for $21,500, and even drove it down from Minnesota for no extra charge.<\/p>\n
The young man who drove it left Zumbrota at 5:30 a.m., and pulled into the Casillas\u2019 driveway 14 hours later.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were amazing, so gracious,\u201d Maloney said.<\/p>\n
Monica took it for a test drive, and it passed muster. She has relatives in the auto repair industry and they gave it their blessing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a collaboration at its best in our community \u2014 all sorts of people came to the event, and people who supported it and made it a reality,\u201d Maloney said.<\/p>\n
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