Beginnings
Early PET Prototype
Earl Miner
Early PET Car-like Seat
PET began in 1995 when Larry and Laura Hills, missionaries in Zaire (now Congo), Africa, told Reverend Mel West of the great need for three-wheeled, hand-cranked wheelchairs for victims of polio and landmines. Mel contacted Earl Miner, product designer and long-time friend and mission partner, and the process of the prototype design began.
Larry Hills
Mel West
In 1996, When the prototype was ready for field testing, four were shipped to Larry Hills with the instructions to “put these in the worst place you can find, and see if they pass the test.” Larry did, and the PETs passed. Shipments then began to Zaire, where Larry had set up a place to receive the frames, put on the wooden beds, and distribute them.
Larry & Laura Hills
For an in-depth and personal history of the beginning of PET, Larry Hills has written the story of “The Evolution of a PET” which can be sent to you for a donation of $12. which includes shipping.
PET FL – Penney Farms, Inc.
In early 2001, the local PET Place was started by Larry and Laura in their home where Laura did much of the accounting and administration and Larry worked to establish the shop to build PETs. First in their small garage, then to a corner location of a former gas station, the PET Place took off! Volunteers from the Penney Retirement Community as well as local community volunteers had captured the passion for PET inspired by the Hills. The stories of changed lives for those in need of mobility gave the volunteers a sense of urgency to provide THE GIFT OF MOBILITY.
New Facility
Finally in 2008 donations were sufficient to build a large warehouse work site! Larry spent most of 2007 creating the work sites and seeing his dream come true. The small shed and portable buildings used at the original site were moved to a location offered by the Penney Retirement Community and were integrated into the new facility. The small shed became a storage area, the outside roofed building became the painting area and the inner closed portable building became the welding shop. With the efficient assembly line system in place, production increased from building 418 PETs in 2007 to 562 in 2008. The highest number of PETs produced was 825 in 2010! Due to the economic situation of the country in 2011 only 729 PETs could be produced!
Hills Retirement
In 2010, the Board of Directors accepted with THANKSGIVING and PRAISE, the request from Larry to begin retirement as Volunteer Director and Founder of PET FL – Penney Farms. “Retirement” for Larry and Laura Hills will be as Consultants with PET International, Inc. to assist in the development of new PET Sites across the United States.
Leadership Team
Recognizing that it would be impossible to “replace” Larry – the Board of Directors authorized the establishment of a Leadership Team to continue to develop the local Penney Farms Site. This Leadership Team is composed of PET Shop Coordinators and Administrative Coordinators who meet regularly for sharing, planning and managing all the aspects of a Shop. Annually this PET Sites has more than 280 volunteers and produces 700 to 800 PETs!
Training
As a part of the new site development, Larry, along with members of the Leadership Team, continue to train those volunteers who have captured the ‘passion for PET’ and are ready to start a new PET Site!
Warehouse
The year of 2012 began with the opening of a new warehouse which adjoins the original facility! This new facility enables the receiving of PETS from other sites so they can be shipped out of ports on the east coast. This additional mission requires the use of many community volunteers with strong backs to load containers. It takes more than 180 individual packed PETS to fill each container! We are so thankful to help facilitate the distribution of PETs to the thousands around the world waiting for this GIFT OF MOBILITY!
