War Amps 2024 Key Tag Mailing Begins
January 15, 2024 — The War Amps begins its 2024 key tag mailing to Canadian residents this week.
Five-year-old Vanessa Parsons was born missing the lower part of her left arm. In the letter accompanying the key tags, her mother, Tori, describes how The War Amps has supported her family. Vanessa, a member of The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP)
Program, receives financial assistance for artificial limbs and devices and also attends regional seminars where Champs and their parents learn about the latest in artificial limbs, dealing with teasing and staring, and parenting an amputee
child.
“I attended my first CHAMP Seminar with Vanessa when she was six months old,” says Tori. “By talking to other parents, I learned a lot about artificial limbs and how they can help in so many ways – from assisting with daily activities to preventing
overuse injuries. The War Amps funded her bike arm, which grips the handlebar and ensures she can sit up straight and ride safely. She also has a myoelectric arm that has a hand that opens and closes, which helps her to do activities like
puzzles and colouring.”
The Key Tag Service was launched in 1946 so that returning war amputee veterans could not only work for competitive wages, but also provide a service to Canadians that would generate funds for the Association’s many programs, including CHAMP.
The Key Tag Service continues to employ amputees and people with disabilities and has returned more than 1.5 million sets of lost keys to their owners.
Each key tag has a confidentially coded number. If you lose your keys, the finder can call the toll-free number on the back of the tag or place them in any mailbox in Canada, and The War Amps will return them to you by courier, free of charge.
The War Amps receives no government grants and its programs are possible through public support of the Key Tag Service. For more information, or to order key tags, visit waramps.ca or call toll-free 1 800 250-3030.
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