The equipment was used for the hospital's adaptive sports program. It's the only one of its kind in the central valley. Program organizers say the recent burglary is a discouraging setback and takes away from children who are already at a disadvantage.
Wakeboarding and jet skiing are sports many disabled children are not able to participate in. But Children's Hospital Central California's Adaptive Sports program makes it possible. It’s the only one of it’s kind in the Central Valley. Jennifer Crocker is the hospital’s rehabilitation unit medical director. She said, “They still want to water ski, snow ski, and kayak. This is giving them the opportunity for many of them to do stuff like that.”
When the jet skis and wakeboards are not being used, they stay in a storage unit, in Clovis. Over the weekend, it was broken into.
“We lost a specialized wakeboard that we use to take the kids skiing. We lost quite a few life jackets, some ski ropes, a camping table and large tent we use to do medical procedures and things like that at the clinics,” explained Crocker.
The thieves broke through the back wall. Crocker described, “It's on the very back wall. I want to say maybe a foot and a half in diameter and someone busted it out by chipping away from the outside and I think that's why some of the bigger equipment is still inside is because they couldn't get it through the hole.”
All of the items stolen were purchased with donated money. Crocker says it took several years to be able to purchase the items, to provide the service for disabled kids. “I was kind of sick to my stomach about the whole ordeal when I heard about it. I think really, I'm disappointed.”
The total cost of the stolen equipment is about $1,200-$1,600.
If you have any information on where the equipment may be, you’re asked to call Clovis Police.
TXT 24
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