DAILY NEWS PEOPLE : DAVID RICHARD.Since January, Richard's organization Wheels for Humanity has collected and donated 550 used wheelchairs to poor, disabled people in countries like Guatemala, China, Nicaragua, Vietnam, the Dominican Republic Dominican Republic (dəmĭn`ĭkən), republic (2005 est. pop. 8,950,000), 18,700 sq mi (48,442 sq km), West Indies, on the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola. The capital and largest city is Santo Domingo. and Mexico. Richard looks for used wheelchairs by calling hospitals, retirement homes and churches. He stores them at the First Christian Church First Christian Church can refer to:
The first homesteads were established in 1868. . The agency fixes and refurbishes the chairs, which are then sent to recipients. AGE: 40. RESIDENCE: Studio City. BORN AND RAISED IN: Born in Manhattan Beach Manhattan Beach, city (1990 pop. 32,063), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1912. It is a residential and beach community with an oil refinery and nearby factories that produce transportation and electrical equipment, computers, and pottery. and raised in Madison, Wis., Richard moved to the Valley in 1982. OCCUPATION: An independent sales representative for golf course equipment. CHILDREN: A 6-year-old daughter named Ali. BIGGEST DILEMMA: ``Right now, I don't have a truck - my truck is broken down and I am having to rent one. I also need a warehouse. I have a temporary one on a 30-day basis. I store stuff in my garage and in all my friends' garages.'' MOST DIFFICULT DAILY TASK: ``Going out picking up wheelchairs. I don't have enough time in one day to pick up all the wheelchairs and I need volunteers to help.'' FAVORITE DAILY TASK: ``I don't get to do it all the time, but mountain biking mountain biking Sports medicine A sport in which participants use specialized bicycles to navigate rough, steep trails covered with unforgiving rocks Injury risk Concussions, fractures, death. See Extreme sport, Novelty seeking behavior. , running and golf.'' BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: ``Financial fear. I have spent a lot of my money getting the project off the ground.'' GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: ``Being called a child liberator. Picking up an 11-year-old girl who would drag herself (on the ground) to get around, putting her in her first wheelchair and seeing the smile on the mother's face.'' GOALS FOR THE FUTURE: ``To get 200 wheelchairs a month out of California and shipping 400 wheelchairs to Vietnam by November.'' WHO RELIES ON YOU THE MOST AND WHO YOU RELY ON: I rely on God and my daughter relies on me. She is my No. 1 wheelchair collector.'' ROLE MODELS: Martin Luther King, because he was a man of peace. And Jimmy Carter; he is a man I would love to endorse this project.'' HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?: ``Waking up in the morning and being of service throughout the day.'' ANY VICES: ``I am obsessed ob·sess v. ob·sessed, ob·sess·ing, ob·sess·es v.tr. To preoccupy the mind of excessively. v.intr. with putting people into wheelchairs.'' FAVORITE VALLEY HANGOUTS: ``Riding my bike with a group of guys at Fryman Canyon fire road.'' FAVORITE FOODS: Vegetarian gourmet. FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: ``I read a lot.'' WHAT MAGAZINES DO YOU READ?: Time, Newsweek, Readers Digest and National Geographic. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?: ``The Agenda'' by Bob Woodward Noun 1. Bob Woodward - United States chemist honored for synthesizing complex organic compounds (1917-1979) Robert Burns Woodward, Robert Woodward, Woodward . LAST MOVIE YOU SAW: `` `James and the Giant Peach' with my daughter, Ali.'' FAVORITE TV SHOWS: Charlie Rose on PBS PBS in full Public Broadcasting Service Private, nonprofit U.S. corporation of public television stations. PBS provides its member stations, which are supported by public funds and private contributions rather than by commercials, with educational, cultural, and the news. WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?: Classical, jazz and old rock. WHAT WOULD BE A PERFECT DAY FOR YOU?: ``To wake up, go golfing at Spyglass, have a complete body massage and facial, then have dinner with Ali McGraw overlooking Monterey Bay.'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: David Richard loads one of 271 wheelchairs bound for Latin America Latin America, the Spanish-speaking, Portuguese-speaking, and French-speaking countries (except Canada) of North America, South America, Central America, and the West Indies. into a truck at First Christian Church of North Hollywood. He looks for used wheelchairs by calling hospitals, retirement homes and churches. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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