The SCOOTER Store Donates Scooters to WWII Veterans to Visit Jamestown Memorial

/PRNewswire/ -- J.A. Carlascio is one of the many veterans who fought for our freedom during World War II. Originally assigned to Italy, he was wounded and became a prisoner of war for two years. He also comes from a family of veterans: his oldest brother was wounded in Italy and his youngest lost his life in the Pacific. But that is not all that makes him noteworthy; he helped establish a veterans' memorial in his hometown.

One of only 17 sites in the nation, Flags Across America is a 30x60-foot flag on a 130-foot pole located on the grounds of Fort Seward. It features a new veterans' memorial that honors North Dakotans who fought and died for our country, and highlights the Congressional Medal of Honor winners from the state. Carlascio sent a letter to The SCOOTER Store asking for a scooter for those veterans who are unable to visit the memorial due to their mobility limitations or war-related injuries.

On Thursday afternoon, The SCOOTER Store provided AMVETS with two Go-Go scooters at the local Vets Club. On hand from the company's Bismarck operations was Mobility & Service Specialist Jason Roehrich to make the presentation. The scooters were donated under The SCOOTER Store Gift of Mobility program, which provides mobility equipment and assistance to those who do not have the financial resources or insurance to obtain power wheelchairs and scooters.

These scooters will help veterans in the area travel to the Flags Across America & Veteran's Memorial. To reach the memorial, visitors must follow a wooden pathway that starts at the Fort Seward Museum, to the eastern side of the Fort grounds, until it reaches the base of the flag. The path around the flag is made of paving brick, each holding the name of a veteran. Carlascio is responsible for selling more than 1,800 of these bricks.

"All Americans owe a debt of gratitude to our veterans," said North Dakota Senator Kent Conrad. "They have made great sacrifices to ensure our nation's freedom. It is a debt that we will never be able to fully repay, but we must make every effort to honor our veterans - both from the Greatest Generation and now this latest generation -- and ensure they continue to have our unwavering commitment and support."

The SCOOTER Store also proudly supports Honor Flight, a non-profit organization that transports World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials erected in their honor. Many veterans are more than 80 years old and need mobility assistance, so the company loans touring groups power wheelchairs and scooters for the day.

"Mr. Carlascio and his fellow veterans proudly served this country during World War II; the least we can do now is serve them," said Doug Harrison, Founder, President and CEO of The SCOOTER Store. "We started the Gift of Mobility program because we understand that mobility and the ensuing independence is fundamental to the freedom these veterans helped us keep. We hope the scooters remind the veterans how much their service is appreciated."

Harrison and his wife, Susanna, started the Gift of Mobility program in December 2002 to help people improve their quality of life by assisting in achieving their independence and mobility. Since then, the outreach program has worked with non-profit groups around the country to donate power wheelchairs, scooters and manual wheelchairs, valued at more than $350,000 a year to individuals and community service organizations, enabling them to provide freedom and independence to people with limited mobility.

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