Paving the Way

A Message from Rebecca

Well, my friends, this newsletter is long overdue.  We think of you often as we race around like Santa’s busiest elves crafting new mobility toys.  It is often hard to pause long enough to write.  Yet, there’s so much to share.  LEARN’s Geeks for Kids program is growing.  We are serving more kids, building more cars and assistive devices, forming new Invent for Good teams and rolling out exciting new tech.

So, consider this newsletter a starting line and a promise to keep you updated with regular reports from our workshop.  We hope to hear from you, too!  Your stories make our days brighter.

To understand how far we’ve come, it helps to remember where we began.  Geeks for Kids was born when our Rock’n Robo Rabbits, a middle school robotics team, wanted to build something that mattered to others, that would live on after they graduated.  They wanted to create something that paved the way for other kids, making life easier and more fun for them.  From there, we built our first car. Then, we built a dozen, and we just kept building. This spring, we delivered our 398th car as well as thousands of other assistive devices.   

Each delivery is pure joy.  Seeing each child light up as s/he takes that first drive is like watching a beacon take fire.  We hope that the freedom our kids receive will take them on many great adventures, expanding their world and their connections.  And, it is a privilege to walk beside each recipient family, learning from their journeys and supporting them. 

Lately, I have come to understand our mission on a new, deeply personal level.  We all know that being sick or hurt or loving someone who is can be devastating, but we don’t really KNOW how that feels as we glide through life with only the occasional sniffle or sore throat.  I certainly didn’t. Then, in the past 6 months, our daughter, our first grandchild and my mom all suffered serious illnesses. Together, as a family, we spent months in the hospital.  It taught me that we live on a knife’s edge - unknowingly, innocently skating between “fine” and “disaster”.  When we fall over that edge, we lack the expertise in medicine, insurance, social services and a thousand other things to care for those we love.  We need help.  I have been deeply grateful for the community that has grown around Geeks for Kids.  It’s a network of compassionate people who understand what it means to struggle and to step up when someone else is struggling.  Now, I know firsthand how powerful that kindness truly is.

Thank you all for being part of the Geeks for Kids community.  I am confident that together we will do even more good in the days and years ahead.

Rebecca Kidwell, President
LEARN (parent of the Geeks for Kids and Invent for Good programs)

---

Impact Drivers

Our Hosts Make Delivery Days Shine

Each Delivery Day is made possible by generous host who open their doors to our families. There is nothing quite like the excitement of watching kids take the wheel for the first time … laughing and discovering a new sense of independence. During Delivery Days, the months of designing, building and testing finally come to life, and kids get to ride in their very own custom cars. This summer, over three unforgettable weekends, our hosts, their teams, and our other volunteers delivered more custom cars and hundreds of other adaptive devices to 93 kids. Together, they turned hard work into motion.

Hannah Reese of Aristocrat Motors - the host of Delivery Day Kansas City - said the experience is just as special for her team … and her family.  “I love seeing our space transformed into something bigger than luxury vehicles.  My daughter joined last year and cheered as kids raced their new cars around the track.  [She even took one of the mini-hot rods for a spin!]  It’s a beautiful reminder of why we do this.”

The host of Delivery Day Ohio and our All Abilities Trunk or Treat in Kansas, Hyland Software experiences the impact across teams and states. Tracy Petrakis of Hyland, shared, “It’s impossible to choose just one favorite moment from each Delivery Day.  Every child’s face when s/he first sees his or her car, every sibling who climbs in to share the joy, every parent watching their child’s newfound independence — those moments are why we do this. Supporting Geeks for Kids is part of Hyland’s culture of giving back. What started with employees volunteering in Kansas City has now grown to our headquarters in Ohio. Seeing the difference this program makes inspires our team to return year after year.”

At Porsche Colorado Springs - the host of Delivery Day Colorado - General Manager Justin Underwood shared, “Witnessing a child realize they were in control of their very own car was unforgettable. It reinforces our commitment to doing more than just selling cars. Being involved strengthens our team and gives us a sense of pride in knowing we are contributing to something bigger than ourselves.”

Together, these delivery moments capture what Geeks for Kids is all about and how its impact goes beyond the recipients to those in the community who are helping give kids the power to play and explore.

---

Dreams on the Go

Jude’s Joy Ride

We would like to introduce you to our friend Jude. When he turned two, his mom Kati had one simple wish … to see her two boys play together.  Kati wanted to foster the hard-won bond her two boys shared — one built on laughter, love and the kind of joy that only siblings know.

It was challenging, though, for the boys to find ways to play together.  Jude has limited mobility with weak muscle tone that keeps him from crawling or walking. 

Jude’s mom shared that “a car would allow my sweet boy to play with his brother in the driveway.  My boys have such a special relationship, and it would make a world of difference to let them interact in a way that other brothers get to play.  Jude loves movement and being outside — those two things bring some of the best smiles to his sweet little face.”

During our meeting with Kati, she revealed her biggest fear for Jude — that he might never get the chance to experience the true joy and independence of play.  His health challenges are serious.  We promised her that Jude would have his car by Christmas.

And we kept that promise.

Just days before Christmas, Jude received his brand-new custom hot rod. Jude lit up the moment the car started moving. Each time it paused, he slapped his leg as if to say, “Let’s go again!” And so we did. We drove and drove — creating pure joy in motion.

For Jude and his family, that moment was more than just a ride. It was a dream come true.

See Jude driving his car for the first time and to hear from his mom, Kati.

---

October Spotlight

A Hauntingly Good Time

We believe every child deserves to enjoy the simple joys of childhood like trick-or-treating with friends and siblings. For many of our families, that dream isn’t always easy to realize. That’s why, each October, we host our All Abilities Trunk or Treat & Fall Car Giveaway.  That’s why each October we host our All Abilities Trunk or Treat & Fall Car Giveaway. 

This year’s event was a huge success.  Families gathered for a joyful day of costumes, community and celebration. We kicked off the day with the delivery of 11 custom cars and adaptive devices to deserving kids. After a final fitting, training session and a big round of applause, our new drivers led the crowd out to trick or treat.

Our volunteers amazed us with their creative trunk designs and sweet treats. One volunteer even had homemade pumpkin scones to share, and the kids wowed us with their wild and wonderful costumes.

What a day it was!  As Rebecca Kidwell, LEARN president remarked, “Every child shined, and everyone went home with happy Halloween memories.  We hope you can join us next year!"

Watch the video recap & share the joy!

---

Tech Talk

Switching to a New Base Car

Our mission has always been simple. We create opportunities for kids with movement limitations to move, explore and play like their siblings and friends. Since 2019, our volunteer teams have built nearly 400 custom cars and thousands of other assistive devices, each designed to empower kids of all abilities.

Jon Roos, a Hardware team leader on Geeks for Kids Design Team, noted, “As you may have heard, recently we hit a massive speed bump. Fisher Price discontinued the base car - the Fisher Price Dune Racer Extreme - we have used since Day 1. It was wide, sturdy, safe, and as reliable as toy cars come.”  

After months of searching, we have selected an alternative car as our new base. To truly meet our kids’ needs, we are reinforcing and rebuilding the Ryder All Wheel Drive Buggy from the ground up. (Many thanks to Ryder Toy for their generosity in making these cars more affordable!)

We are designing and building a stronger frame, adding more infrastructure, improving the steering system, amping up the motors and motor housings, and adding new electronics. Most importantly, we will continue to make cars that fit kids of many sizes and abilities and meet each child’s specific mobility goals.

“Switching base cars midstream is like building a plane while you’re flying it. It’s INTENSE! We must redesign our computers and wiring harnesses to fit in a new space. We must retool our workshop to build new things. We must find partners who can help with building methods like welding and powder-coating that simply cannot be done in our current workshop.” David Sherrick, an Electronics team leader on the Geeks for Kids Design Team, said.

This challenge is big, but so is our determination and our excitement to get back to inventing, designing and building from the ground up. We are ready to give every child a chance to play, learn and grow like all kids should.

---