On your mark, get set, roll!

Saturday marked DeKalb County’s seventh annual Wheel-a-Thon. Food, music, dance performances and a few other activities awaited participants with or without disabilities upon completion of the 1.5-mile course around campus.

“There’s one wheelchair per team,” said Services Manager Gracie Warren of the DeKalb Regional Access and Mobilizations Project, or RAMP. “They can take turns, or one person can do the whole route while the rest of the team walks along with them.”

Warren said participants raised funds through donations before the event. Trophies and awards were given to the team and individuals who raised the most money.

“That’s part of the focus,” Warren said. “It’s not only to raise money but also to raise awareness about the challenges and struggles of people who have a disability.”

Junior psychology major Anna Gouker attended the Wheel-a-Thon and has been in a wheelchair all her life.

“I think if people have a better understanding of what it’s like to be in a wheelchair, they may be less intimidated to go up to somebody who does have a physical disability or feel less apprehension about getting to know them,” Gouker said.

Warren said RAMP’s mission is to promote an accessible society that is welcoming to people with disabilities.

“We need to recognize that those people are contributing individuals within our society,” Warren said. “Society needs to be receptive of those individuals and realize they are people who have disabilities but are not asking for any special treatment. They’re just asking to have a playing field. So they may need to have some accommodations.”

DeKalb County raised $25,000 at last year’s event. RAMP’s goal this year is to raise $30,000, Warren said.

“All the money we raise today will stay in DeKalb County,” Warren said, “It will go to help us continue to provide services at no cost to DeKalb County consumers.”

RAMP’s annual Wheel-a-Thon events take place in Boone, Rockford, Freeport and DeKalb counties.

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