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Whitney Gets A Van!

A $44,000 wheelchair accessible van was delivered this week for four-year-old

Whitney Balakier of Sandy Hook, the result of fund raising the past year,

particularly a swing dance held by realtor Bob Tender which raised more than

$28,000. In the photo, from left, Mr Tendler; Sandra Stockwell, treasurer of

the Newtown Fund; Nicholas Balakier, 3; Whitney; her mother, Kathryn Balakier;

and Frank Lorenzo of RideAway Corp of East Hartford, which did the van

conversion. - Bee Photo, Valenta

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

Kathryn Balakier was all smiles Tuesday when she accepted a new wheelchair

accessible van on behalf of her daughter, Whitney, 4.

The door to the 1999 white Grand Caravan slid open, the chassis automatically

lowered and a power-lift ramp unfolded to accommodate Whitney's wheelchair.

"This is wonderful," Mrs Balakier beamed. "It's called pure heaven."

Purchase of the specially converted van was made possible through fund raising

done during the past year for the Balakier family of Sandy Hook. The

contributions were channeled through the Newtown Fund.

The daughter of Kathryn and Douglas Balakier, Whitney was born in February

1994 with a condition known as holoproencephaly, a midline defect that

manifests itself in many ways. She had a clef lip, no cartilage structure in

her nose, a hole between the lower chambers of her heart, scoliosis, a convex

chest, and the middle part of her brain was missing. Whitney can't sit up by

herself, doesn't talk and will never walk.

When she was three years old, Whitney began to attend the Probe program at

Sandy Hook Elementary School, an early intervention program for pre-schoolers

who have a variety of cognitive, language, gross motor, and other problems.

"Whitney loves school," Mrs Balakier said. "Being with other children and

adults has been so good for her. She is so much more alert and active. She

knows what is going on -- she knows who everyone is."

After Whitney was born, the Balakiers went for genetic testing and learned

that her birth defects were not an inherited condition. In 1996, they had a

healthy son, Nicholas.

The Balakiers have lived in Newtown for 10 years. After Whitney was born they

were able to move into a handicapped-accessible ranch-style house owned by Mr

Balakier's brother, who had been injured in a motorcycle accident and was

confined to a wheelchair.

Medical bills quickly consumed the couple's savings. The 10-year-old van Mrs

Balakier was driving could not accommodate Whitney's wheelchair. After an

article appeared in The Bee last year, the community responded immediately.

"I can't believe we got the (new) van so quickly," Mrs Balakier said. "It just

shows how much everyone cares."

The van conversion was handled by former Newtown resident Frank Lorenzo, who

is with the Ride-Away Corp of East Hartford. The conversion was done by the

Braun Company.

The total cost of the 1999 Grand Caravan and the conversion was about $44,260.

"Donations came from everywhere," Kathy Balakier said. "But if it wasn't for

Bob Tendler we would still be waiting. He is a life-saver."

Mr Tendler organized a swing dance at the Fireside Inn last fall which raised

more than $28,000.

"Ricky's Hair Salon held a cutathon, the school raised money - there we so

many donations," Mrs Balakier said. "The word was put out through Slovaks

Catholics Locals and money came in from around the country."

The van will make everyday life much easier for the family.

"We just roll Whitney in and roll Whitney out," Mrs Balakier said.

Whitney underwent successful heart surgery last fall. This fall she is slated

to undergo spinal surgery because attempts to correct her spine with a brace

have not been successful.

"The brace isn't working," Mrs Balakier said. "The operation has a 50-50

chance but we have to take it. Otherwise she will never sit straight again and

eventually that will affect her breathing."

The Newtown Fund is continuing to accept tax-deductible donations to help pay

for Whitney's medical expenses. Spinal surgery is scheduled for this fall.

Checks should be made out to the Newtown Fund (indicate in the memo line that

the check is for Whitney Balakier) and sent to The Newtown Fund at PO Box 641,

Newtown 06470.