Submitted photo Allan Mulloy, 14, an eighth-grade student at Champion Middle School and a band member, sits in his motorized chair, which has a special arm rest and a drum which he plays in the marching band.

CHAMPION — While Champion Middle School eighth grader Allan Mulloy uses a motorized wheelchair to get around the school and grounds, he now can travel with the marching band with his special drum after help from a local school group.

Allan Mulloy, 14, the son of Tiffany and Jason Mulloy, has been a band member since fifth grade, and now in eighth grade he can be part of the Champion High School marching band.

Allan is a percussionist and plays the bass drum.

He also has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a muscle disease that affects all muscles.

“Allan told me he wanted to march in the band. I told him, ‘Let’s make this happen.’ We told Derek Kittle (band director) so that he knew. He reached out to the school to see about a ramp accommodation for Allan. Before last school year was over, they already started working on the band shell at the football field to make it accessible. They put in a very nice and sturdy ramp that will last for years and can be used by all the band members,” Tiffany said.

She thanked Kittle, Superintendent John Grabowski and Facilities Director Mark Harper for not only getting an accessible ramp installed at the band shelter but also an indoor one from the school auditorium to the band room at the high school.

Allan uses his motorized vehicle to go onto the football field for performances at band night, at home and away football games, and also at band camp.

He said the drum can be placed and attached to his motorized vehicle and also to his scooter, where a basket can also be located.

“The drum is at the front of the scooter and goes with him … Whatever the band is doing, Allan is part of the formation. Wherever the drum line goes, Allan is in that formation,” Tiffany said.

Allan did not miss any band events this school year. Tiffany said only wet weather will prevent Allan from getting on the field.

She said her son knows which ramps at different places are accessible for him to use.

The high school’s FIRST Robotics team made a support arm for his chair where he can place the drum.

Kittle reached out to the robotics team, which does an “impact mission” each year, and agreed to help Allan with making the needed modification on his wheelchair for the drum.

Tiffany said the robotics team created a drum that made the band accessible for Allan so he could participate at the same time and in the same way.

The special drum can be used and attached to Allan’s wheelchair and scooter depending on his need.

Tiffany said the robotics team kept them updated throughout the entire process as they made the piece and what was best for Allan and his wheelchair.

“They helped make something accessible for someone else.” she said.

The band also put a purple and gold logo, which are Champion’s school colors, on the chair.

When the high school band performed at Disney World in Florida last November

DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

“Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a devastating progressive muscle-wasting disease that causes muscles to decline over time at varying speeds. It takes away the ability to walk, run, jump and write, as well as heart function and breathing, Tiffany said. She said her son was diagnosed at age 7 and walks differently than he did a few years ago. But “Allan faces his days with joy and kindness. He sees the best in others and appreciates the little things!” she said.

Allan is able to walk short distances and did not start using the scooter until fourth grade, and eighth grade when he got the power wheelchair, which is more supportive of his needs.

“The chair allows him to have more height and to reach things he previously could not reach,” Tiffany said.

Both the chair and the scooter can accommodate the drum, which can be attached to both.

Tiffany said the scooter is 50 pounds and more portable in vehicles from place to place and used more at home and for family events.

She said the 300-pound chair is heavier but used by Allan more at school.

“It’s his preference for each day on what to use and which one would be more comfortable,” Tiffany said.

She said she was happy to see Allan on the field performing with his drums.

“That was a very reassuring moment to see him on the field with the rest of the band,” she said.

Allan said he wanted to be in a band and first thought of playing trumpet and then decided on drums.

“He is so grateful to the robotics team for creating a drum that gave him the access to participate in the band like everyone else. He doesn’t just have to sit on the sidelines and watch; he is part of the action! My momma’s heart is fuller knowing those kids made a huge difference in his life, both physically and emotionally,” Tiffany said.

Allan said he plans to stay in the band for the next four years of high school.

Allan is among 20 eighth graders in the high school band.

He said the band, when it performs, does the National Anthem and the halftime show.

“The band has really nice people. I like getting to be part of the band. I like getting to play music,” Allan said.

“He has boogie in his soul,” Tiffany said.

Tiffany and Allan said when they went to South East High School, they met a student who also has Duchenne muscular dystrophy and had a similar power wheelchair.

“What was cool about meeting him was his mom’s name was Tiffany and he has Duchenne just like me,” Allan said.

Tiffany said she and Allan shared with the other boy and his mom what the robotics team did for them.

She said the other student uses his chair on the football field there just like Allan does.

Tiffany said the other mom was going to see if what the robotics team did to help Allan could also be done to help her son.

Tiffany said she appreciates the robotics team for what they did and all the inclusion it gave Allan.

Band Director Derek Kittle said Allan is able to be at all band events.

“We want all of our students to have access to the band room. Mr. Harper and his team put in the ramp here to the band room for Allan to get in and out and also at the band shelter, which all of the students use,” he said.

Kittle said Allan also had special assistance from Nick Komora, who was a band and music student teacher last fall.

“If Allan was on the field and it may have been a little wet, Nick would stand behind him and assist him if the wheels of his wheelchair might get stuck and he needed help,” Kittle said.

Kittle said Allan is able to do what the other band students do when he performs.

He acknowledged that robotics team advisors and mentors Alex Hummell, Adam Miller and Pete Politsky were instrumental in getting the drum attached to Allan’s wheelchair.