Retired Marine Cpl. Lane Parker never thought he would see a room full of "combat-hardened veterans" cry.

The veterans who gathered at the Marine Corps League's state convention in Parris Island, S.C., in June, however, proved the Aiken resident wrong.

The sight that moved them to tears, he said, was a physically challenged young boy whose eyes lit up when he was presented with a Hand Operated Tricycle.

The tricycles are designed for children who cannot walk.

Mr. Parker, a member of Aiken's Marine Corps League James L. Hammons Detachment 939, was so moved by the child that he decided to bring the H.O.T. Trikes to Aiken County. He is overseeing a program in which the Marines will present the tricycles to children in December.

"We need to do this because we have small kids ... in our area that would love to have one of these," Mr. Parker said.

So far, he said, the Marines have purchased six tricycles.

In addition, the detachment Commandant James Morris said local businesses and people have agreed to purchase four more tricycles.

Even with the extra donations, the detachment is looking for additional corporate sponsors to purchase more tricycles, Mr. Parker said.

If local businesses are willing to put up the money to buy a $250 tricycle, he said, then the league will find children who can benefit from their generosity.

The group has enlisted Rufus Britt, the director of operations for the Aiken County Board of Disabilities, to establish eligibility criteria to receive a hand trike.

"We're going to work with them to identify children with cognitive and adaptive disabilities who would benefit tremendously from an adaptive tricycle," Mr. Britt said.

The H.O.T. Trike frame is the same as that of a traditional tricycle, but it has a bucket seat with a strap and footrests instead of pedals.

The tricycle also has two sets of rear tires for added stability, and the children operate the H.O.T. Trike by pushing the handlebars.

"It gets real emotional when you see those young kids go pedaling out of the room on those things," Mr. Parker said. "I don't know who's happier - the parents or the kids."

The detachment also would like to establish a H.O.T. Trike recycling program, Mr. Morris said.

Once a child has outgrown a H.O.T. Trike, he said the family can return it to the detachment, which will pass the tricycle on to another youngster.

"We hope, in the future, we may have 10 or 15 every year," Mr. Morris said.

The Marine detachment buys the tricycles from New Outlook Pioneers, a group of Lucent Technologies retirees in Lisle, Ill.

The detachment also is giving helmets to the children who receive the tricycles.

Mr. Parker said the H.O.T. Trikes are best suited for children ages 4 to 6.

"For a child with severe impairments, it gives them a chance to be a normal kid," Mr. Britt said.

Reach Betsy Gilliland at (803) 648-1395 or betsy.gilliland@augustachronicle.com.

What's next

The Aiken's Marine Corps League James L. Hammons Detachment 939 is looking for sponsors for its new Hand Operated Tricycle, or H.O.T. Trikes, tricycles designed for children who cannot walk. For more information about the program, call 644-8300.