(Courtesy photo) Dickinson-Iron Intermediate School District, in partnership with the Iron Mountain-Kingsford Kiwanis Club and the Vulcan-Norway-Loretto Lions Club, recently provided Ray and Darlene King of Iron Mountain with a mechanical lift for their granddaughter with cerebral palsy. From left are Trisha Peterson, Kiwanis board member; Amber Johnson, Kiwanis president elect; Hillari Runsat, Kiwanis president; Ray and Darlene King, grandparents; Michelle Bal, Kiwanis board member; Abby Hodge, DIISD physical therapist; and Tricia Meneguzzo, DIISD director of special education.

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Dickinson-Iron Intermediate School District, in partnership with the Iron Mountain-Kingsford Kiwanis Club and the Vulcan-Norway-Loretto Lions Club, recently came together to assist a local family caring for their adult granddaughter with cerebral palsy.

Abby Hodge, physical therapist with the Dickinson-Iron Intermediate School District, provides in-home services to the student due to the nature of her disability.

For years, the family relied on a mechanical lift to safely transfer their granddaughter for daily care and mobility needs. When the existing lift broke beyond repair, the family faced a serious challenge — although Medicaid was able to fund a replacement, the equipment available through that program was too large to fit within the limited space of the home.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the three community organizations collaborated to fully fund the purchase of a new lift that met both the student’s needs and the spatial constraints of the home.

Their joint effort helped ensure the student could continue receiving essential care in a safe and dignified manner.

The Dickinson-Iron ISD would like to thank the Iron Mountain-Kingsford Kiwanis Club and Vulcan-Norway-Loretto Lions Club for assisting with this needed equipment for the King family.