Time Warner Cable News (Coastal NC): Fort Macon State Park Receives New Beach Wheelchairs
Carteret County - Fort Macon State Park received four new beach wheelchairs from ACCESS North Carolina. The new wheelchairs were showcased at the beach Saturday.
Kelly Woodall is one of the first Fort Macon State Park visitors to try out the new beach wheelchairs. She and her husband drove down from Raleigh for the wheelchairs.
"She's had wheelchairs in the past but nothing accessible like this," said Woodall's husband, Brian Beauchamp
Woodall hasn't been able to access the beach in about 15 years.
"She was up there watching me and the kids play in the sand and it kind of made her feel left out," said Beauchamp.
New Bern resident Brendon Hildreth also tried out the new beach wheelchairs.
"I enjoy going to the beach and going to the ocean. It used to be so difficult for me to walk in the sand that I did not want to go to the beach," said Hildreth.
The new beach wheelchairs were given to Fort Macon State Park to replace unusable wheelchairs.
"You just take it for granted really. You don't realize what it means to them until you see them with tears in their eyes just to be able to put their toes in the water and so it makes you feel real good to be a part of it," said Fort Macon State Park Superintendent Randy Newman.
The beach wheelchairs will be at the Bath House at Fort Macon State Park. They will be loaned on a first come first serve basis during the summer.
The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities Executive Director wants to recognize Fort Macon State Park's effort to be more accessible.
"Access means being included. It means getting on the beach and enjoying the beach and the water. It is being with your family on the beach and your neighbors on the beach and being part of your community and contributing to your community," said NCCDD Executive Director Chris Egan.
"I think that it is great that the wheelchair is here for people to use and I hope lots of people get to enjoy coming to the beach," said Hildreth.
"She says it's a good opportunity for the community to get out and see what we struggle with," said Beauchamp.
The original news story aired on TWC - Coastal NC on March 20, 2016.