Thursday, July 29, 2010

  Longest Moving Wheelchair Line - Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation sets world record
 LOS ANGELES, CA, USA -- To commemorate the passing of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 20th anniversary, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation lined up 193 wheelchair users in orderly rows and asked them to move around orange cones in a "S" shape to honor the beloved actor and activist Christopher Reeve and his memorable roll as Superman Read - setting the new world record for the Longest Moving Wheelchair Line .

 Photo: Breaking the World Record for the Longest Moving Wheelchair Line . Photo by Gil Garcetti ( enlarge photo )

    The record breaking event was organized by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which dedicates itself to improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis.

    One by one the participants starting moving around orange cones in a "S" shape to honor the beloved actor and activist Christopher Reeve and his memorable roll as Superman, on and off the screen.

    The count off started and as the 106th participate was counted a rousing cheer erupted. The count continued to 193, beating the old record by over 80 percent.

   The previous Guinness World Record for the Longest Moving Wheelchair Line was 105, set in 2008 in Woodstock, New York.

    Speakers such as, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Maggie Goldberg of the Reeve Foundation, Author/Speaker Gary Karp, ADA Attorney David Geffen, and Jesse Billauer of the Life Rolls On Foundation inspired the crowd.

     A random drawing was held and Flip phones, Skull ear buds and iTune gift cards were doled out to an excited crowd. And wheelchair dance troupe “Chairlie’s Angels” pumped up their audience with an energy blast of music and moves.

    President Barack Obama marked Monday's 20th anniversary of a landmark anti-discrimination law for people with disabilities by promising to boost government efforts at recruiting, hiring and retaining people with physical and mental limitations.