Last year we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the PET Mobility Project and 10th anniversary of PET International. Next month will be the start of celebrations of the 50,000 PET built. PET MO Columbia, birth place of PET, will hold a media and Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting event to acknowledge the milestone. (Watch for story in our next newsletter.) All this was possible by all of your tireless efforts to help the leg handicapped thru PET. We gratefully thank you for our years of partnership together.
Tony Brewer is the director of Orphan Voice in Vietnam. The Christian Broadcasting Network helped to fund the ocean freight costs to get the container of donated PET carts to Vietnam. CBN has connected PET International to many agencies in multiple countries. Here are some stories Tony has sent over the last few months. Thank you, Tony.
“As part of its special needs work, Orphan Voice in Vietnam partners with The Personal Energy Transportation Project to distribute handpropelled carts to those who need them. An Orphan Voice worker noticed Van as he walked on his crutches along the road. She struck up a conversation with him, told him about the PET carts and urged him to fill out an application. He was glad to do so.” Blog post.
“Dear Partners, Attached please find some recent delivery of PET carts. You can see from the pictures what this new mobility means–for the old as well as the young. Thank you. Sincerely in Christ, Tony Brewer, Director” February 2015 email.
Potential distribution partners have to fill out an application to be considered. They are evaluated as to their “capacity” to carry out the PET mission within their organization. Requirements include distributing the PETs free of charge to recipients and sending us back reports to share with all of you, our supporters
The following excerpt is another example. This article was entitled “We Thought the Blessing was…But…” from PET TX-San Antonio’s December’s newsletter. “We thought the blessing was shipping PETs to people with mobility limitations in Honduras, but… We thought the blessing was Dole Food Company providing transportation at no cost for our PETs to travel from Freeport, TX to Honduras in one of their shipping containers, but… We thought the blessing was a whole lot of volunteers, including some high school students from the Robotics Team #4704, who came out to roll, lift, and slide 117 PETs into the shipping container, but…” The driver, Gary, asked what they were loading. They showed him a PET which he rode around the shop. “With tears streaming down his face, he took our hands and prayed for the mission of PET and that his cargo would safely reach the people in Honduras who need the help….”
Last year they celebrated building and packing their #600th PET. In 2014 they shipped out #203 PETs. Their leader, Bob Gabrielse, was voted in as a board trustee of PET International. He also agreed to chair the reorganized Design & Standardization Committee of PET International.
I was on a trip with my husband for his work heading north from MO. We traveled in bad weather both ways. Going north we passed the Leighton sign on the highway. On the way south we hoped to stop in and see the assembly shop. But ice was on the ground and schools were closed, which meant the shop was, too. As we drove closer, Pete Verhey (red jacket) said the ice had melted some and the volunteers had opened the shop, an old school building. (They have two locations handling the different work and storage.) We stop, carefully walk in, and see a well organized and happy shop. There’s the sewing stations for seatbelts and vinyl seat covers. Painting area. There’s a welding area along with a “parts experiment station”. (Any ideas would be passed along to the D & S Committee mentioned above.) On the other side is the assembly area. Pete is also the finance chair for PET International.
As the admin staff and the board treasurer of PI, I’m interested in visiting Affiliates on my travels for various reasons. I was thrilled with what I found and glad to meet or see again some of their dedicated volunteers. Kathy Maynard, Treasurer
“Semeni is 8 years old. One year ago a car ran over her legs. She lost one leg at the knee and the other leg was not set straight. Her Father is the Assistant to the Minister of Land, Energy & Water. Giving Semeni a PET Cart filled her and her parents’ hearts with joy. Ron was also filled with joy to see the smiles on their faces. “ Report in CHaRA’s February e newsletter
US Navy’s Project Handclasp is helping again. 168 PETs are on the way to Point Hope in Ghana from PET FL – Penney Farms. Four PET Affiliates fill order for the D.O.V.E. Fund for distribution in Vietnam. PET West MI, PET TX – Brazos Valley, PET East MI, and PET MO – Columbia send 280 to the US Navy on the west coast. This large order contains all three PET versions.
Junta De Beneficencia De Guayaquil in Ecuador sent pictures of the container of 168 PETs being unloaded. Picture at right. Another friend of PET sent us a copy of the newspaper ad they put out announcing the availability of the PET cart. “…….Those interested should attend to the central office in 109 Vélez and Pedro Carbo, third floor, Department of Foreign Affairs.“ (translation)