Georgia has become the latest state to bring all-terrain wheelchairs to its state parks, opening many more options for wheelchair users to explore backwoods areas and hiking trails that were previously inaccessible.
The heavy-duty wheelchairs, which use tank-like treads are now available to rent at eleven state parks and outdoor destinations in a joint program of the state Department of Natural Resources and the Aimee Copeland Foundation.
Other states that have either set up programs or piloted them include Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan and South Dakota. The chairs adapt to many kinds of outdoor experience, and are capable of traversing rocks, roots, streams and sand; clearing fallen trees; plowing through tall grass; andtackling uphill climbs.
The Aimee Copeland Foundation, which raised $200,000 for the first 16 Georgia wheelchairs is named for Aimee Copeland Mercier, who lost limbs to infection after a serious zip-lining accident. She tested a number of types of chairs before committing to the one used in Georgia and by several other programs, the Action Trackchair.
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