Friends enjoying themselves beside an above-ground pool. This year's holiday appeal marks the 32nd year of The Ledger's Newspaper with a Heart campaign. There are no overhead costs.
Gifts are tax-deductible.
She and her husband, Mark, remodeled their Lake Alfred home to turn a walk-in closet into an expanded, wheelchair accessible bathroom. A local nonprofit agency, Center for Independent Living, found a free power wheelchair for Tomlinson, who is 24, but it doesn't have the back and cushion system he needs to prevent the development of pressure ulcers. Without protective padding, the chair would be like an automobile with a crate for a seat, said Fred Meyling, the center's Polk County director. This item, vital to let Tomlinson be mobile and avoid pressure sores, was made possible through the heartfelt gifts of many Ledger readers. It's an example of how Newspaper with a Heart works to fill gaps in what other agencies and government programs can provide.