Azalea Charities Presents Adapted Van to Veteran Quadriplegic Dan Hika
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Frank Lasch
Chairman, Azalea Charities, Inc.
703-670-5238
azaleacharities@aol.com
Image 1: Dan Hika, after a devastating accident in 2012 that left him as a C5-C6 complete quadriplegic, gets back in the pool with his family.
Shown left to right are daughter Ashley Hika, Dan Hika, and son DJ Hika.;
Image 2: The new 2019 Chrysler Pacifica van was specially adapted by Mobility Works to meet Dan’s unique needs. [Click images for larger view]
AZALEA CHARITIES PRESENTS ADAPTED VAN TO VETERAN QUADRIPLEGIC DAN HIKA
NEW KENSINGTON, PA (PittsburghNewsWire.com) — Frank Lasch, Chairman and Founder of Azalea Charities will present Navy Veteran Dan Hika with a 2019 Chrysler Pacifica van adapted to his special needs. In the summer of 2012, Hika dove into a swimming pool, injuring his spinal cord and surfacing into the life of a C5-C6 complete quadriplegic. For the past six years, he has adjusted to a new normalcy of confinement to his bedroom, needing major help to go out for doctor visits. The new van will greatly enhance Hika’s mobility and quality of life.
Azalea Charities’ Aid for Wounded Warriors raised $38,500 to purchase the van itself. We appreciate the efforts of the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System and Mobility Works to provide the adaptations necessary for Dan’s unique disabilities.
According to Lasch, who grew up in McKeesport PA, “Through Aid for Wounded Warriors, we can rally community and business support to improve the quality of life for Veterans and their families. The Hikas are faced with a lifetime of caregiving for Dan, and this new van will greatly help them meet the challenges of everyday life.”
Azalea Charities has organized a number of outreach efforts for Veterans in Pennsylvania. These include providing wheelchairs to the University of Pittsburgh for their Veteran basketball program; supporting the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association’s Steelwheelers fundraiser; donating to the Pittsburgh Fisher House; providing a trac-chair for a Jefferson County Vietnam Veteran suffering from the effects of Agent Orange; and supporting the Devil Dogs Vet X in Greensburg.
About Azalea Charities
As part of its focus on Aid for Wounded Warriors, Azalea Charities helps to fill the gaps that occur when the needs of our wounded heroes are not entirely met by the military or Veterans Administration (VA). We provide help for our service people as well as the families who stand behind them. Our support is adapted to the need – ranging from mortgage and rent payments, gas cards and Wal-Mart cards to special needs such as the training of service dogs and marine reunions. We have strong relationships with US Allied Forces to provide support internationally. Azalea Charities is an all-volunteer organization that raises funds through donations and events such as its Corporate & Community Giving Plan and sponsoring Team Azalea Charities in the Marine Corps Marathon and the annual Azalea Classic Invitational Golf Tournament. Beyond minimal expenses, all funds raised go to core charitable causes. Azalea Charities is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization located in Prince William County, Virginia. For more information, see www.azaleacharities.org.
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