Free Loaner Track Chairs in South Carolina
After a hunting accident left Jake Beisecker with a spinal cord injury, he was determined to continue his active outdoor lifestyle. While he was in rehabilitation at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Jake discovered a mobility device that could make that dream a reality — a track chair. This offroad power wheelchair is outfitted with tank tracks instead of wheels, which allows it to navigate uneven terrain. After Jake tried it out, he knew it was just what he needed to enjoy the outdoors. Sadly though, this expensive piece of adaptive equipment was out of his price range.
After he returned home, Jake continued to search for an affordable offroad option, and as luck would have it he stumbled across a used track chair within his budget. He snapped it up and proceeded to explore the South Carolina outdoor areas that he had always enjoyed. But then he thought that there were probably others like him, who would benefit from a track chair but couldn’t afford one. And so, Waymaker Offroad Wheelchairs (www.waymakeroffroadwheelchairs.com/) was born. And today this South Carolina non-profit provides free loaner track chairs to wheelchair-users and slow walkers who want to enjoy Mother Nature.
Free Loaner Track Chairs
Headquartered in Hartsville, Waymaker Offroad Wheelchairs has a fleet of track chairs available to loan. Reserving a track chair is easy. Just go to www.waymakeroffroadwheelchairs.com/give and fill out the form. The track chairs are usually loaned out for a day or two, but they are available for up to a week if needed. A small utility trailer is also available for loan; however if your vehicle cannot pull a trailer, delivery can be arranged. The delivery option is only available within 100 miles of Hartsville, on Saturdays from April to September. There’s no deposit needed to borrow a track chair; however a valid drivers license is required. The track chairs are also GPS traceable.
A number of accessories are available for the free loaner track chairs, including a headrest and an umbrella holder. They also have a four-point harness for folks who lack trunk control. And if you like to hunt or fish, don’t forget to request the gun mount, shooting rest or fishing rod holder.
Hunters will be happy to hear that track chairs are also permitted in all South Carolina Wildlife Management Areas. In the end the choice is totally yours — you might even want to check out Myrtle Beach, which is just a few hours from the Waymaker Offroad Wheelchairs headquarters.
Track Chairs at State Beaches
Waymaker Offroad Wheelchairs has also made their track chairs available for loan at many South Carolina State Parks. These can be reserved online or you can use the QR code to reserve it in person. Your drivers license will be held as a deposit while you use the track chair.
Track chairs are currently available at:
- Huntington Beach State Park
- Edisto Beach State Park
Future plans call for loaner track chairs at:
- Hunting Island State Park
- Myrtle Beach State Park
- Paris Mountain State Park
Jake hopes to be able to expand the track chair loaner program in the future, but he’s pleased with the success it’s garnered so far. Says Jake, “We’re totally donor funded and are looking for corporate and individual donors to help sponsor us. These chairs made a huge difference in my recovery journey to be able to get back outdoors doing the things I love.” For more information call (843) 287-7986 or e-mail WaymakerOffroadWheelchairs@gmail.com.
