Walkin’ & Rollin’ Costumes is an organization that builds costumes for kids who use wheelchairs or walkers. It is such a great opportunity for students of all majors, but especially for engineering and art students.

I learned about the organization at the Engineering Block Party & Student Organization Fair. This block party is an Engineering Success Center-hosted event that aims to assist engineering freshmen in getting plugged into academic clubs. I was immediately drawn to the hands-on opportunities, since I love to create new things. Also, I saw the benefits of joining an organization that helps community members, and especially kids with disabilities. Because of my interest in learning applicable skills as a freshman, I signed up.

During my first semester here at WSU, my roommates and I helped build a Moana-themed costume for a little girl named Miranda. The look of pure joy on her face made the hours of work worth it. Her mom was also so excited about the costume.  Even though it is a sprint to get done by Halloween and can be a bit chaotic, this club was not overly time-consuming. We only meet for an hour a week, steadily pacing ourselves over eight weeks.

 

Joining Walkin’ & Rollin’ has taught me all kinds of skills. There is a lot of trial and error when building a costume, and no costume is the same. The adaptability required for this organization has been extremely useful in my education. I have always enjoyed arts and crafts, so I did not think I had much more to learn. However, Walkin’ & Rollin’ has taught me that I do.

My passion for creation has only grown with this club. Did you know that PVC primer is indeed not PVC glue, or that spray foam expands a crazy amount if you let it, or that many spray paints melt insulation foam?

As of writing this, I am the event coordinator of Walkin’ & Rollin’, and my roommates are the Co-President and Co-Vice President, partnered with GoBabyGo. Our current costume for the Spring 2025 semester is for a little girl named Ana, who wants a Vanellope Von Schweetz race car-inspired costume.

This organization has taught me how to collaborate, lead, and create things for the benefit of the community. Joining during the Engineering Block Party was one of the best decisions I made, and I would highly recommend the club to anyone who is interested.

If you want to keep in touch with Walkin’ & Rollin’, follow @walkinrollinwsu.