BARRIE, ONT. -- A seven-year-old Stayner girl could soon be standing for the first time, helping her family decorate their Christmas tree, thanks to the kindness of strangers.

Chloe Fraser was born with a rare C2 spinal cord injury that left her needing the aid of a wheelchair. Her mom, Carol, decided Chloe deserved more.

Last month, Chloe was fitted for a special powered-chair. Neither ththe government nor private insurance cover the life-changing device. Carol Fraser puts the cost at close to $60,000.

Deb Marchant of Smiles Per Hour Inc., an automotive repair shop in Midland, heard Chloe’s story and wanted to help. She organized a fundraising battery recycling drive to help pay for the special chair.

A steady flow of donors has shown up at Smiles Per Hour over the last month. The drive collected 11 skids worth of automative batteries and 23,000 lbs of household batteries.

Marchant had hoped to raise $5,000. On Saturday she presented Chloe’s family with a cheque for $12,656.37.

“No words can express how happy I am to see the community step together,” Marchant said.

“You don’t realize how (many) caring, compassionate people are out there.”

All the support touched Carol Fraser.

“It’s just so overwhelming with the love and the positivity that everybody shows. It really makes you feel like people really do care, and they are here to help,” Fraser said.

“It just means so much to us to be able to get this piece of equipment that literally is going to change (Chloe’s) life for the better.”

Smiles Per Hour will continue to collect batteries to help put toward accessories for Chloe’s chair.

The family is also accepting donations through a GoFundMe campaign.

Fraser hopes to get her new chair in time for Christmas.

With files from Kim Phillips and Rob Cooper