A broken van led Bob Rorabaugh to a special moment.
The former Northshore Baptist Church pastor had organized a “Hike on Wheels” event in 2002 that more than 30 people in wheelchairs attended. A care facility’s van broke down, so Rorabaugh and his daughter stayed with three passengers who awaited a ride back home. During the wait, they wheeled the passengers to the top of “Kite Hill” at Magnuson Park.
Rorabaugh recalls a warm breeze blew, so he pulled a kite out of his backpack, lofted it into the air, then placed the kite string on a stick under one of the passenger’s arthritic hands in her lap.
The woman named Ruth rolled her bent neck around and, almost startled by the kites tug, looked up.
“A slow smile dawned across her face, as if she had never flown a kite,” Rorabaugh recalled. “It took a broken van for me to have that time with Ruth in a wheelchair at the top of Kite Hill. It took me that long to realize I could have a friend and contagious laughter that I hadn’t known.”
Now, Rorabaugh still organizes the event with the same heartfelt intentions – but with a wacky twist. The 13th annual Wacky Wheelays – an all-inclusive community field day – will be held for the first time in Kirkland this Sunday, July 28 at Lake Washington High School, 12033 NE 80th St. The free community event kicks off at 12:45 p.m. with registration and a potluck lunch, with games from 2:15-4 p.m.
Rorabaugh said the event was previously held at Bothell High School, but due to field maintenance, they are moving the event to Kirkland this year. “This event levels the field of play for those who, in our organized sports culture, cannot run, hit, jump, throw or catch,” said Rorabaugh. “The games of inclusion are goofy, hence wacky, sometimes created on-the-spot …”
And, of course, wheels are strongly encouraged.
“Bob gets shopping carts and piles people in,” recalled Janelle Cornelison, event coordinator, who has been involved with the event for four years.
Other modes of wheeled transportation have included strollers, pedal toys, battery operated cars, real cars, grocery shopping carts from competing grocery stores, tricycles, bicycles, golf carts, wheelbarrows and more.
“The day of the event is so fun because you will have access vans coming and going all day and dropping people off from group homes and different facilities,” Cornelison said. “It’s fun to see people with big smiles in electric wheelchairs boogying around the tracks.”
She said the event has also been eye-opening for her family members. Cornelison has taught special needs children with moderate to severe disabilities at Sherwood Forest Elementary in the Bellevue School District for the past 15 years.
“That’s been pretty neat for me as far as my family members, who don’t know what I do, and they come help and get out of their comfort zone.”
Rorabaugh stressed the event is for people with all abilities. One of his favorite Wacky Wheelays moments was when he watched a 5-year-old boy who was sitting in the lap of a woman with cerebral palsy and reaching for her hand.
“I finally figured out he wanted to give her a high-five,” he recalled. “He was so intent upon his task that he didn’t see her face. I saw her face. It looked as if she thought she was being touched by an angel. We get those kinds of stories coming back from parents who are not only pleased the day of the event, but what happens in the aftermath.”
He recalled how one mom told him that, following the event, her son walked up to a boy in a wheelchair at the mall and said “Hey man, cool wheels.”
The event started out with 30 participants the first year and now attracts more than 300 people of all abilities. More than a dozen agencies provide resources for disabled people are also on board, including the Northshore Baptist Church in Kirkland. This year, members of the Kirkland Fire Department will roll in on a fire truck and an aid car. Cash donations are suggested and proceeds will benefit several disability-services agencies.
Rorabaugh noted that while many churches host mission trips to faraway countries, there is work to be done right here in the community. “Why can’t we cross the street and mentor a child with mental or physical challenges?” he said, noting the event also aims to bring awareness of those people who are “differently-abled.” “We’re trying to say, look around because every fifth person in your life has a disability. You’re missing the joy of friendship.”
