DUNDEE KZN: Wheelchair donation keeps keen bowler rolling
The tyres on the chair have been made thicker so as not to damage the green.
Out of all the bad news in 2020, this has to be one of the more inspiring stories of the year… Before the drama of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown, Angus Millar, a keen bowler, suffered two strokes.
He said he ‘strolled through the first one’ and was back at work at Buffalo Coal within days. However, shortly afterwards, he suffered a second stroke that floored him.
Angus was admitted to hospital, where it was found that the stroke had damaged the left hand side of his body, leaving his left leg almost lame, as well as his left arm.
His right leg ‘works’ and with much perseverance from him, partner Lesley, family and friends, and lots of faith, Angus is mobile through his walker – albeit not an easy process.
But what he missed was his bowling and the camaraderie at the Bowls Club. Dundee Bowling Club president Greg Conolly believed he could help and contacted Bowls South Africa, who put him through to CE Mobility – a company dealing in wheelchairs.
“Through that, we were put through to Ashley McIntyre of the Amanzimtoti Bowls Club, who is a paraplegic bowler. Ashley made some calls and located a wheelchair, especially adapted for use on the bowling greens in St Lucia,” said Greg. The owner of the wheelchair had sadly passed away before he could even use the ‘wheels’.
His wife wanted it to be passed on to a deserving person and Ashley and his wife, June, did not hesitate to drive up to St Lucia to fetch the wheelchair.
When the call for assistance came from Greg, donating the wheelchair to Angus was the obvious option. So it was a beaming Angus who, on Thursday, received the wheelchair from Ashley and June, who again took the trouble to drive up to Dundee
. “The tyres on the chair have been made thicker so as not to damage the green. With a bit of practice, Angus will soon be very comfortable with a ‘wood’ in his hand,” explained Ashley. And it was not long before Angus was rolling the ‘woods’ from his chair, with several getting very close to the kitty.
“This is such a wonderful gesture. I am so pleased to be able to get out and enjoy the friendship and the sport of bowls – Ashley and June have been too generous.”
See this weeks Courier, out on December 3, for the whole story! 
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