The Go Baby Go! Fox Valley program celebrated a major milestone as it delivered its 99th and 100th customized ride-on cars to two Neenah brothers with special health care needs.
Go Baby Go! is a partnership between Children’s Wisconsin and Fox Valley Technical College that provides free, modified electric ride-on cars to children with mobility challenges. Each car is uniquely adapted by FVTC Engineering Technologies and Occupational Therapy students. They work alongside faculty and Children’s Wisconsin physical and occupational therapists to meet each child’s specific mobility needs.
“We take a base car and then we do things like change the wiring up a bit. We can add a little box, which is a relay that comes with a controller, so the parents can control the car as well as the child,” explains student Jackson Hoerth. “Instead of having the foot pedal, we also have a big button on the steering wheel which makes it easier for them to use. We add protective padding and harnesses to keep the child safe.”
Two-year-old Levon and five-year-old Isaac Piasecki were spinning around the room at FVTC shortly after they sat down in their new set of wheels. Their parents have big plans for the boys and their vehicles.
“Because neither of the boys are able to walk yet, we plan for them to use their cars to get out of the house and explore,” their mother Mindi Piasecki explains “We have a long driveway and are very close to a nice bike path. I foresee lots of trips in the cars.”
This delivery highlights the growing impact for the Go Baby Go! program. It hit the 100th-car milestone in just under three years, after launching in June of 2023.
“This milestone reflects the incredible collaboration between our therapists and the talented students and faculty at Fox Valley Technical College,” says Amy Van Donsel, therapy manager for Children’s Wisconsin in the Fox Valley. “Thanks to our donors who make it possible to give these cars free of charge to families, children have the opportunity to explore their world more independently while bringing so much joy to families.”
The Piasecki family is grateful for Go Baby Go! and honored that Isaac and Levon were the recipients of milestone vehicles.
“The entire crew connected to Go Baby Go! has been amazing. Such a fast process and so perfect for our family,” Mindi shares. “We have five children, four of them with special needs. Our son Isaac will take his Jeep to Milwaukee with him when we live there temporarily while Isaac undergoes a kidney transplant.”
More information and how to apply is available at the Go Baby Go! website.
FVTC in the News:
WBAY-TV: Fox Valley delivers 99th and 100th motorized cars
WFRV-TV: Children’s Go Baby Go! Fox Valley hands out 99th and 100th cars
Post Crescent: Two Neenah Boys Receive Go Baby Go!’s 99th, 100th custom mobility cars
