NORTH ANDOVER — Adrian Arce will have an easier time getting around, thanks to the Knights of Columbus.
The Catholic fraternal organization, which has a branch at 505 Sutton St., donated a $4,299 Cruiser Profiler wheelchair to Arce, 22, about four weeks ago. Yesterday, Arce was with his mother, stepfather and members of the Knights of Columbus as they showed off the small, lightweight chair.
"When we have to take him for appointments, this is much better because we can fit the wheelchair in the van," said Arce's mother, Elsa Mendieta. "He's comfortable. They made it specially for him."
Arce is physically and mentally disabled, diagnosed with trisomy 7, a very rare chromosomal disorder.
The Knights of Columbus originally gave Arce a wheelchair about seven years ago. But he needed a replacement, said Peter Voisine, a past grand knight and a former district deputy of the Knights of Columbus.
The state Knights of Columbus issued a charity grant for the wheelchair, which was purchased from Letourneau's Pharmacy in Andover. The money came from the knights' annual "Tootsie Roll drive," in which members collect donations in cans at stores, Voisine explained.
"We're glad to see the fruits of our labor," he said.
Arce was enrolled in a program at Amesbury High School through the Greater Lawrence Educational Collaborative. He graduated in January. The family lives at 1103 Acorn Drive.
The fact that the chair is small and light will help the family fit it in their minivan, which does not have a wheelchair lift, Arce's mother said.
Arce's stepfather, Gus Mendieta, became a member of the North Andover Knights of Columbus Council after the first wheelchair was donated. He said the family would rack up credit card bills if they bought the new chair without the group's help.
