Fort Collins-Breakfast and Fort Collins-Foothills Rotary Clubs team up with the Rotary Club Tripoli El-Mina on mobility for the disabled project

The Forum of the Handicapped Association in North Lebanon promotes the integration of the disabled into society. One of the primary barriers to integration is the difficulty in transporting the disabled between their residence and work or school. Specifically, a major hindrance was the ability of the wheelchair-bound disabled to get into a transportation vehicle without being dependent on other parties while ensuring his/her safety throughout the journey.

The Rotary Club of Tripoli El-Mina Lebanon (District 2450) initiated a project to equip a bus with an elevator that descends to the ground level, allowing the wheel chair user to step onto and then ascend to the level of the bus allowing his/her entrance to the bus without the need of any assistance. By equipping the bus with special wheel chair stops and safety belts the safety of the disabled rider would be protected.

Local Rotarians Larry Salmen (Rotary Club of Fort Collins Breakfast) and Chris Richmond (Foothills Rotary Club of Fort Collins) spearheaded the project locally, raising funds from their clubs and securing grants from District 5440 and the Rotary Foundation. These funds in addition to those raised by the Tripoli El-Mina Rotary Club and District 2450 raised the necessary $23,000 to purchase and outfit the van.

The project was completed in late 2011.