Written by Candy B. Harrington for Emerging Horizons, July 8, 2022
After a hunting accident left Jake Beisecker with a spinal cord injury, he was determined to continue his active outdoor lifestyle. While he was in rehabilitation at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Jake discovered a mobility device that could make that dream a reality — a track chair. This offroad power wheelchair is outfitted with tank tracks instead of wheels, which allows it to navigate uneven terrain. After Jake tried it out, he knew it was just what he needed to enjoy the outdoors. Sadly though, this expensive piece of adaptive equipment was out of his price range.
After he returned home, Jake continued to search for an affordable offroad option, and as luck would have it he stumbled across a used track chair within his budget. He snapped it up and proceeded to explore the South Carolina outdoor areas that he had always enjoyed. But then he thought that there were probably others like him, who would benefit from a track chair but couldn’t afford one. And so, Waymaker Offroad Wheelchairs (www.waymakeroffroadwheelchairs.com/) was born. And today this South Carolina non-profit provides free loaner track chairs to wheelchair-users and slow walkers who want to enjoy Mother Nature.
Free Loaner Track Chairs
Headquartered in Hartsville, Waymaker Offroad Wheelchairs has three track chairs in its fleet. Reserving a track chair is easy. Just go to www.waymakeroffroadwheelchairs.com/give and fill out the form. The track chairs are usually loaned out for a day or two, but they are available for up to a week if needed. A small utility trailer is also available for loan; however if your vehicle cannot pull a trailer, a delivery can be arranged. There’s no deposit needed to borrow a track chair; however a valid drivers license is required. The track chairs are also GPS traceable.
A number of accessories are available for the free loaner track chairs, including a headrest and an umbrella holder. They also have a four-point harness for folks who lack trunk control. And if you like to hunt or fish, don’t forget to request the gun mount, shooting rest or fishing rod holder.
Jake’s favorite place to take his track chair is Huntington Beach State Park (southcarolinaparks.com/huntington-beach), where he can easily navigate the beach, and maybe do a little fishing. Hunters will be happy to hear that track chairs are also permitted in all South Carolina Wildlife Management Areas. In the end the choice is totally yours — you might even want to check out Myrtle Beach, which is just a few hours from the Waymaker Offroad Wheelchairs headquarters.
Jake hopes to be able to expand the track chair loaner program in the future, but he’s pleased with the success it’s garnered so far. Says Jake, “We’re totally donor funded and are looking for corporate and individual donors to help sponsor us. These chairs made a huge difference in my recovery journey to be able to get back outdoors doing the things I love.” For more information call (843) 287-7986 or e-mail WaymakerOffroadWheelchairs@gmail.com.