THOMASVILLE – For years Ben Huntzinger, who himself is a wheelchair user, has been providing off-road, durable, and affordable wheelchairs to people in need. Now, for the third straight year, Flowers Honda and Nissan have donated $9,600 to Spartan Wheel Chariots, Huntzinger’s own non-profit.

“It means I will be able to give needy families in the community an outdoor wheelchair, I’ll be able to provide that wheelchair at no cost thanks to the donation,” Huntzinger said. “It just keeps on giving. There’ll be stuff down the road I’ll do that I’m able to because of that donation.”

Huntzinger began Spartan Wheel Chariots after seeing the lack of off-road wheelchairs on the market. The ones he found were incredibly expensive, as most medical equipment for disabled people is. So, Huntzinger decided to do it himself, building a sturdy and affordable chair meant for the outdoors. That DIY approach that started with a chair for himself has now blossomed into a fully stocked workshop, allowing  Spartan Wheel Chariots to send off-road wheelchairs across the country and work with many organizations.

“They are built with the in-user in mind. The outdoorsman that wants to get back out hunting and fishing because that’s just what he or she loves to do. It’s the $1,000 version of that versus everything that’s so expensive. This is that one thing that isn’t,” Huntzinger said. “It just lets them connect with God. It lets them get back out there.”

Huntzinger specifically talked about the joy of giving Spartan Wheel Chariots wheelchairs to kids.

“Giving an off-road wheelchair to a kid, it’s like their whole world,” he said. “They just want to go outside. To see what it does for a little kid like that and then to post the pictures of it and kind of embrace it like you’re a part of their family, it’s an amazing thing.”

The substantial donation does more for Huntzinger and Spartan Wheel Chariots than provide chairs free of charge. The money also allows Huntzinger to buy the supplies and tools he needs to continue providing affordable outdoor wheelchairs for families.

Though the individuals who will get a Spartan Wheel Chariots wheelchair free of charge have not been selected yet, two organizations will be receiving chairs. One of the chairs paid for by this donation will go to the Miracle in the Woods Foundation, a non-profit organization in Albany that takes disabled individuals on accessible hunting and fishing excursions. Another will go to Camp ARROW, a week-long camp in Thomasville designed for children with a variety of disabilities.

Huntzinger knows firsthand how life-changing an off-road wheelchair can be and, thanks to the support he has consistently received, his mission to provide an affordable option for people in need is far from over.