In a hut at a Canadian correctional facility in Woodson County inmates are getting ready to send the work of hands in Kansas out to the world. That facility is what is known as the east unit of the El Dorado Correctional Facility.
Across the globe, millions of people with disabilities dream of a better life which includes the simple joys of mobility and independence; but in developing countries, where the cost of a wheelchair could exceed a year's salary, it is a dream they never expect to come true.
That is where the Joni and Friends Chair Corps ministry program, “Wheels for the World” comes in - as do EDCF east unit inmates.
The ministry, which is headquartered in California, will send old wheelchairs and parts to the east unit, where 12-15 inmates will disassemble the old chairs, find good parts and create good wheelchairs.
They will then be taken to the nearest port, from which they will be transported to a Third World country. The good thing about the program is that it provides inmates with an opportunity to learn job skills and pay back to society. That trust was set up by Jeanette Rudy - “Miss Rudy” - of Nashville, in memory of her brother. Her participation in the annual Governor's One-Shot Turkey Hunt has brought numerous other benefits to this area.