Troy adds all-terrain wheelchair to make arboretum more accessible

The Troy University arboretum is now more accessible to the public after a unique donation from the Hank Poore Foundation.

The foundation provided an all-terrain wheelchair known as the “Freedom Chair” that will help people explore the 10 miles of trails around the arboretum.

Keep reading to find out more about the wheelchair + how you can use it to explore Troy’s arboretum.

GRIT Freedom Chair

The GRIT Freedom Chair was presented on Friday, June 7 by Hank Poore, Foundation founder, and Ashley Ferry, executive director.

“Designed by MIT engineers, the GRIT Freedom Chair is a mix between a manual wheelchair and a mountain bike. Thousands of riders around the world use their GRIT Freedom Chairs to live more active lives— hiking on mountain trails, navigating sandy beaches, or just spending quality time with their family.”

~ GRIT’s description of the chair on its website

Arboretum director Dr. Alvin Diamond said the goal is to make the arboretum trails accessible to everyone. While grant applications to pave the nature trails were unsuccessful, Diamond found the next best option.

Jonah McWaters, a Troy graduate who was paralyzed after a car accident in 2004. He is now a city employee and he got the chance to test drive the Freedom Chair on the trails.

“People that have had accidents or are born a different way just want to be included in everyday activities, like taking a walk with friends. I did all this stuff before my accident, and now this provides an opportunity to get back out and do it again. Everyone wants to be thought of, so to even think about having this as an opportunity is amazing.”

~ Jonah McWaters

The Freedom Chair is available for use to students, faculty and the public at no cost. To coordinate use of the chair and to ensure there is a volunteer to assist in demonstrating how it’s used, email adiamond@troy.edu. 

Hank Poore Foundation

Based in Tuscaloosa, the Hank Poore Foundation was established in 2020 by Hank Poore and his mother, Kathy, with the mission of providing opportunities and experiences for people with disabilities.

“I personally have had opportunities to do these kinds of things, and a lot of individuals may not have had the same opportunities as me. This is a way to give back to the community and allow individuals to have the same opportunities as me.”

~ Hank Poore

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