Mini-Newsletter 2.4 December 2012

CBS News reports on PET IA-Leighton 12/27/12

CBS News: Retirees’ “PET” project gives lifeline to disabled

PET MO-Columbia 2012 goal exceeded!

January 2: “We have agreed to build 2012 in 2012, and we will do it.”

December 27: Goal to date: 2012 Actual production to date: 2119!

A hearty CONGRATULATIONS and THANKS to all you volunteers and donors (of
parts or money) that made this wonderful gift to the leg-handicapped world
possible. 2119 individuals were enabled to arise from crawling or having to
be carried about and into a new life of mobility, hope, pride, dignity and
productivity. Their caretakers, friends and families also had their lives
enhanced. You all pitched in with generosity of time and money, and you did
it because your heart told you to do it. You have given a great Christmas
gift!

If all those 2119 PETs were lined up, bumper to bumper, it would be a
line of PETs TWO MILES LONG!! Imagine driving by a row of PETs 2 miles
long, and each one containing the sister or brother for whom it has given a
new life!! —all races, all creeds, all ages, all colors, all having
different causes for their disabilities. IMAGINE!! And when you tuck
yourself into bed say quietly to yourself, “I helped to do that,” and sleep well!

Mel West

World Vision joins PET International as new distribution partner

IDD PETSPET IN-DeMotte, PET TX-Brazos Valley, and PET TX-Austin joined together to send 140 PETs to the World Vision warehouses in Denver, CO and Pittsburgh, PA.

We welcome World Vision as they add their link in our chain of service to the mobility disabled around the world.

Point Hope Ghana donates 105 PET Carts to the Physically Challenged Action Foundation
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The donation is the second consignment of the 210 PET Carts donated to Point Hope by PET International and shipped to Ghana by the US Navy. The government of Ghana helped by providing exemption from customs duty. The PCAF was formed by an individual, Mr. Barima Antwi Boasiako after becoming physically challenged when he lost his right hand during an accident in 1977. The Foundation houses 150 children and a few adults (30 of them are in school). It has also trained about 200 of them in skills like leather works and sewing and these are independently engaged in economic activity with many of them becoming bread winners for their families. The Foundation also provides medical care, physical therapy orthopedic surgery as well as rehabilitation services for its beneficiaries who come from all over the northern sector of the country and even from outside Ghana’s borders. Their target is to build their own school to cater for some of their children who are not being accepted in the formal school system because of their special cases.

Madelene’s PET

Madelene taking the cart for a test drive

A young girl in El Salvador takes her new PET on a test drive

By Sarah Yates
[This originally appeared in the November 14th Box Elder News Journal.]

A young girl in El Salavador is cranking about in a well-fitted Personal Energy Transportation (PET) vehicle, thanks to an adventure that began in mid-April with a simple email message from Bryan Eriksson to his grandfather in Brigham City.

“Hey Grandpa: How are you doing? I am just writing to let you know I saw a PET while I was down in El Salvador. I have attached a few pictures of it and the girl who received it. I forget the girl’s name, but she had scoliosis and her back was very deformed. She is 15 years old, but is very petite and has the body size of a 7 or 8 year old. They have had the PET for about 5 years, but recently she has not been able to use because it caused her back too much pain. Her father asked me if I knew of any modifications that could be made to make it more comfortable. I couldn’t think of any on the spot, but said that I would ask you.”

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