Sydnie Maxwell is leaving everybody in her dust as she powers away on her new electric travel scoot sponsored by The Variety Bash and Rotary.
“I have cerebral palsy so that means I use 10 times more energy than the average human being so I do need to preserve my energy when I can. The travel scoot is great for me.
“It’s definitely really awesome as I can collapse it myself and then my friend can stick it in the boot of her car. I couldn’t do that with my wheelchair as it is way too heavy.”
The 25th Variety Trillian Bash started in New Plymouth this year with 35 vehicles assembling at East End Surf Club for some presentations before hitting the road.
Ambassador Suzy Cato was there to share her love for the bash. She really enjoys meeting so many amazing people as she travels the country with the bashers.
“The Bash is a great way of promoting Variety, especially through the small towns where Variety can play a huge part of a child’s life.
“It’s meeting the people – that’s the highlight for me. By talking to them and sharing your love for the bash the love is shared!”
Sydnie Maxwell of New Plymouth is one of the lucky children whose life Variety has dramatically changed and meeting Suzy Cato was an added bonus.
“I first met Suzy in 1998 when I was 2. It was awesome to see her again as she still has that happy, bubbly, personality I remember from Suzy’s World.”
The Naki Boyz team donated half of the funding for Sydnie’s travel scoot as the dedicated bashers started their 23rd bash in NZ which doesn’t include some in Australia and the USA.
Nigel Williams and his team work hard during the year sourcing funding from friends and other Business owners in the Taranaki area to help provide necessary equipment for kiwi kids to enhance their lives.
“It’s a great feeling to put a big smile on kids’ faces and also help their families as we travel around on the bash route.
“As for Sydnie’s travel scoot – I was blown away by the power of it when I tried it out and I can see why it puts a buzz in her day when she uses it.”
The New Plymouth North Rotary Club generously paid the other half of the travel scoot as a community project. This is the second time they have paid for half a bike for someone in New Plymouth transforming a child’s life in the process.
Sydnie is very grateful for the generosity of the Naki Boyz and Rotary as the travel scoot has enabled her to become more independent while making the world more accessible.
“Normally I just walk with my stick or use my mobility scooter which is 10 times bigger. It wasn’t very practical.”
Maree adds “You can’t put her scooter in the car. Her mobility scooter is awesome but it is not transportable as it is huge.”
A highlight so far is an outing on the New Plymouth foreshore walkway with her dog Miley.
“Mum, Miley and I went down to the walkway the other day. We put the travel scooter in the car which was great. We took it out of the car, set it all up and just had an awesome trip on the walkway.”
Normally trips like this are hard work as Mum, Maree, would take Sydnie’s wheelchair and push her while Miley would have to stay at home.
“If I had my wheelchair then Mum wouldn’t be able to push me and walk the dog at the same time.”
Now Mum and Miley are left way behind as Sydnie races off on her new wheels.
“It goes way faster than my scooter,” she giggles.
The 18-year-old is a student at WITT in New Plymouth and is studying towards becoming a radio announcer.
“I don’t take my scooter to WITT because I do prefer to be a lot more independent and walk around which is kind of cool as I need the exercise. I’m enjoying being real independent. It motivates me I think exploring a new environment.”
Sydnie also has her own radio show at Access Radio where she gets to share her favourite songs.
“I play a lot of hit music like Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran. I get most of my music inspiration from listening to the music channel. I hope that my love for pop music will rub off on the listeners.”
You can hear Sydnie on Access Radio 104.4 FM every Monday between 10:30 and 12.