Two Deserving Children to Receive Special-Needs Bicycles from
Longtime Principal Charity Classic Volunteers Carl and Sally Harris
Des Moines, Iowa (June 3) – Longtime Principal Charity Classic volunteers Carl and Sally Harris are donating two special needs-customized bicycles to deserving children during the Volunteer Appreciation Party on Saturday evening. Sally is co-chair of the Ambassador committee and Carl is co-chair of the Marshal committee. Carl is volunteering for the 19th year while Sally has been volunteering for her 16th event.
They have donated a bicycle each of the past two years and this is the first year they will be donating two bicycles.
“We have known Sheri McMichael from Variety-Iowa for a long time and see how these donations have made a positive impact on the kids,” said Sally, who holds a master’s degree in special education. “We feel it really is a worthwhile cause and I know from working with special needs how impactful physical therapy is for them. This year we decided to donate two bicycles because we also have a grandchild with a form of epilepsy and we were inspired when we saw that Axel shares the same affliction.”
This year’s recipients are Axel and Louise.
Axel is a 5-year-old who has a complex medical history, including epilepsy and gross motor delays. This has caused a severe lack in his stability and does not allow Axel to ride a traditional bike or trike. During his physical therapy appointments, he has started utilizing a specialized bike and loves it. This bike will help him continue to build on and achieve the skills from his physical therapy appointments. It will also allow him a safe way to ride a bike and be more active with his family.
Louise is an almost 5-year-old living with cerebral palsy. This has caused her to have impairments in coordination, balance, strength, muscle tone and vision. She has utilized this bike at physical therapy and is very motivated when doing so. This bike will allow Louise to continue working on her therapy goals at home, strengthen her lower extremities and improve her balance and coordination. This bike will also allow her to go on walks with her family and participate in activities with her siblings.
The 2023 Principal Charity Classic takes place from June 2-4 at the historic Wakonda Club. For more information, please visit www.principalcharityclassic.com or connect with the tournament on social media at facebook.com/principalcharityclassic, Twitter @PCCTourney, and Instagram @principalcharityclassic.
About the Principal Charity Classic
The Principal Charity Classic is an annual and award-winning PGA TOUR Champions event dedicated to investing in the future of Iowa kids. In 2022, the Principal Charity Classic raised a record $8.2 million for charity, bringing the tournament’s giving total to more than $45.6 million since 2007. Tournament funds benefit organizations that provide a broad level of support to Iowa kids in the areas of education and culture, financial security, and/or health and wellness. Last year, the tournament touched the lives of more than 130,000 children statewide.
About Variety – The Children’s Charity
On October 10, 1927 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, eleven young men affiliated with show business met at the William Penn Hotel for the first meeting of their newly formed social club. The gentlemen decided on the name “The Variety Club” because they represented a variety of facets of the entertainment business. The club received its official charter from the State of Pittsburgh on Oct. 18, 1928. But The Variety Club’s true calling came a few months later on Christmas Eve, 1928, when the manager of the Sheridan Square Theatre in Pittsburgh found an infant abandoned in the theatre. The baby girl had a note pinned to her clothing. Today, Variety – the Children’s Charity has a network of 44 chapters in 13 countries, and many millions of individual children around the world, like Catherine, live a better life because of the generosity of Variety’s donors, sponsors and supporters.
Learn more about Variety, www.varietyiowa.com
