As the Tennessee Titans celebrated the NFL's "Salute to Service" initiative at its Nov. 14 home game, the team again partnered with the Permobil Foundation to award a wheelchair to a deserving veteran. Don Barr, a veteran of the United States Air Force & Air National Guard, received the wheelchair this season.
Barr, of Madisonville, Tenn., served six years in the United States Air Force & Air National Guard and was stationed at both Lackland Air Force Base and McGhee Tyson National Guard as a member of the Fighter Wing Air Refueling Group. Following his military career, he spent 25 years working in agriculture as Manager of Roane and Loudon Farmers Co-ops, and 25 years with Prudential as a finance and insurance advisor.
On hand to present Barr with the custom Permobil wheelchair from Permobil was Chuck Witkowski (President), Nathan Stoffer (Sales Manager), Kathy Edson (Foundation Associate Executive Director), and Ashley Davis (Foundation Executive Director), along with former Titans player Tim Shaw. Shaw, who announced in 2014 that he is battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), was present to support Permobil and Barr, who has also been diagnosed with ALS.
"Barr was recently diagnosed with ALS and as a veteran he has fought for our country and now it is our turn to help him in his battle to fight against ALS." says Ashley Davis, Executive Director of the Permobil Foundation. "We hope this one-of-a-kind custom Titans wheelchair will give him the support and independence he needs to live life with fewer limitations. Our goal is to ensure that every person has the right to mobility, and through impactful partnerships such as the Titans, we help fulfill those needs."
The Titans and Permobil share a long-standing relationship, and recently hosted the Permobil Foundation's largest fundraiser, Roll the Dice, at Nissan Stadium in October. Thanks to the auction, the generosity of the attendees, and the support of the many sponsors, the Roll the Dice event raised over $70,000.
About the Permobil Foundation:
As the philanthropic arm of Permobil, the Permobil Foundation believes that regardless of disability, every individual deserves a chance to reach their dreams without limitations. Dedicated to enhancing the quality of life by empowering strength and independence through community support, employee engagement, and working in partnership with non-profit organizations, the Foundation provides support and services through the gift of mobility. The Foundation launched on March 1, 2017 and since that time has assisted over 2,200 individuals with the gift of mobility and supported 385 non-profit organizations across the United States. For more information, visit PermobilFoundation.org
About Permobil:
Permobil founder Dr. Per Uddén believed that helping individuals achieve the greatest level of independence is a basic human right and, for over 50 years, that has been the driving force behind our innovative assistive technology. Permobil is a trusted leader of advanced healthcare solutions because we are dedicated to understanding our users' needs and improving their quality of life. These solutions include power wheelchairs, seating and positioning products, power assist, and manual wheelchairs. Permobil is part of Patricia Industries, a subsidiary of Investor AB and is headquartered in Sweden. Permobil has 1,600 team members in more than 15 countries around the world. For more information regarding the company's storied history and complete product line visit permobil.com.
