Press Release: Wheelchair Foundation Day

Press Release
February 11, 2002
For Immediate Release
Contact: Niloofar M. Nouri (510)848-0264 

The Persian Center

On Sunday June 3rd, 2001, Persian Center, Mr. Kenneth E. Behring (Founder), Mr. Soheyl Modarressi (Persian Center Patron), and Mr. & Mrs. Ahmad Behjati (Proprietor of Santa Fe Bistro and Via Centro restaurants in Berkeley), hosted a special dinner to benefit the Wheelchair Foundation at Santa Fe Bar & Grill in Berkeley. Guests included Berkeley Mayor Shirley Dean who presented Mr. Ken Behring with a proclamation declaring June 3rd, 2001 as WheelChair Foundation Day. Celebrity spokesperson, Loretta Lynn, also made a guest appearance and cheered on the international philanthropists in the room.

The intent of the evening was to raise $36,000 to meet the matching pledge of the same amount by the WheelChair Foundation, in order to send 500 wheelchairs to Iran. However, the evening that included dinner, dance performances, and an exciting auction resulted in far greater success: $75,000 was raised, matched by $75,000 from the foundation for a total of $150,000. As a result 1000 wheelchairs will be sent to disabled in Iran during 2002!

A shipment of 500 wheelchairs has been made to Iran, and on Valentine's day, a delegate of representatives from Persian Center, WheelChair Foundation, and City of Berkeley, will travel to Tehran to distribute the wheelchairs to the disabled, via the Red Crescent and Haft-e Teer charities. This tour, arranged by Cyrus Travel, will be the first of many to provide a glimpse of Iran, while helping the needy there. Persian Center hopes to continue their partnership with the Wheelchair Foundation and be an active participant in eradicating the need for wheelchairs in Iran.

The Wheelchair Foundation, founded in 2000 with a grant from the Kenneth E. Behring Foundation, is at the forefront of an international effort to deliver a wheelchair to every man, woman and child in the world who needs one. As of March of this year, 24,774 wheelchairs have been distributed in 73 countries.

The Persian Center is a non-profit charitable organization, dedicated to providing an environment for education, cultural celebrations, and exhibitions to promote an understanding of the Persian culture and heritage, as well as peace through education and understanding.