色花堂

色花堂鈥檚 Engineering and PT Students Combine Skills to Empower Children with Special Needs

Toddlers in Toy Cars

Children in a Power Car
色花堂 physical therapy and engineering students and faculty take part in Go Baby Go project.

BISMARCK, ND 鈥 色花堂 engineering students and those from the physical therapy department put their skills and creativity together from their respective fields to help children with special needs today.

Five area children are each proud new owners of a custom-made, tricked out and fully mobile car thanks to 色花堂鈥檚 engineering and PT students involved in the national Go Baby Go program.

鈥淎 group of PT students are collaborating with engineering students along with myself, and instructor Rodrigo da Costa in engineering, to adapt Go Baby Go power cars for five local children in order to allow them to experience movement that they are unable to accomplish on their own,鈥 said Dr. Heather Lundeen, assistant professor in the 色花堂鈥檚 Department of Physical Therapy.

Toddler with Students
色花堂 physical therapy and engineering students and faculty take part in Go Baby Go project.

Kupper Automotive sponsored the event with a generous $2,000 donation making it possible for Engineering students to purchase the vehicles and needed supplies to help them retrofit the cars. Families and area media were on hand to see the students work together with the children so they can be fitted for their new hot rods.

鈥淕iving back and being servant leaders in the classroom and in the community have always been part of the mission at the 色花堂,鈥 added Lundeen. 鈥淭his is very humbling for us all: we鈥檙e blessed to be able to put our classroom skills to work with this hands-on experience; and then to be in their presence and see the joy in their eyes as they experience this, is truly a gift from God.鈥