Local Man Needs Your Vote

, causing him to become a quadriplegic before he even graduated high school. 

Since the middle of March 2013, Herbst has been in the running to win a new mobility van in a contest sponsored by the National Mobility Equipment Dealer's Assocation (NMEDA).

And he needs your help every day for the next 15 days to get there. 

Herbst is currently within the top 10 percent of vote getters out of more than 1,100 people who have entered the contest. Votes can be cast every day up until May 10, and people can vote twice per day from the same IP address.

Simply log on to http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/steve-herbst-palatine-il/. (fill out your name, answer a simple addition problem, and click the link to the left that says 'want an extra vote', before clicking on the word vote). 

Dave Hubbard, the CEO of NMEDA said the idea behind the contest is to raise awareness for mobility equipment solutions, so people know what is available to them if and when the need arises.

“There are many people who have disabilities and are aware of the options to allow them as much mobility as possible, but there are also those who are growing into disabilities due to age, and there is not a lot of information out there for them,” Hubbard said.

Currently, there are three vehicles that have been donated to ultimately be awarded to three people chosen by a comittee of healthcare professionals. 

The comittee is made up of individuals who work with those who have disabilities on a daily basis. They will judge amongst the top 5 percent of vote getters, and determine the top three who have the most inspirational and uplifting stories. 

Hubbard said 90 percent of all of those vying to win have 2,500 votes or less - but Herbst still needs that extra push to ensure he is within the top 5 percent so he will be considered by the judging committee.  

With slightly more than 26,000 votes so far, Herbst said he is extremely humbled by the support shown for him. 

"It is super humbling to log onto Facebook in the morning, before I even have breakfast and see how multiple people have posted voting information to their friends on Facebook," Herbst said. "To know that people are waking up and thinking of voting for me, I am unbelievably appreciative. It’s people from all over the world." 

The contest highlights National Mobility Awareness Month, now in its second year. 

You can find the link here to vote for Herbst. You can also choose to "Recommend" this article, by clicking the box located under the headline. 

Take 30 seconds out of your day for the next 15 days, that's all it takes.