Did You Know…? This edition of the PET Report from Florida will answer many questions that are asked by visitors, volunteers and reporters! Sometimes we get so wrapped up in telling the stories of those who receive PETs that we forget some of the very important factors that bring such a GIFT to fruition.
A young boy in Haiti receives a PET!
Did you know that PETs are given FREE? This Gift of Mobility is a free gift: gift of time, skills, energies, donations, planning, prayer, and networking of hundreds of volunteers, supporters, agencies, parts makers, and visitors who become promoters.
Did you know that PETs are only for those in need of mobility outside the United States in the poorest countries? The fact that PETs are given free was missed in a recent article which was front page on the Times Union Newspaper (Jacksonville). Folks called wanting to buy them and a number were disappointed that they could not have them for use in the United States. With a multiplicity of resources in the United States, the mission of PET is for “the least of these” in other countries; also, if someone here in the U.S. were injured they might sue us and we would be out of business.
Did you know that PET FL-Penney Farms is an affiliate of PET International? This umbrella organization was created by the first eight PET Sites in operation in 2005, recognizing the need to address coordination, quality control, distribution issues and networking with other national organizations. Each affiliate is organized independently but is supported by PET International who find distribution partners, coordinates promotion, helps in the development of affiliate websites; networks to mission agencies, national churches agencies, national agencies related to mobility issues; and civic organizations (such as Lions, Rotary, etc.).
At a recent meeting of the Board of Trustees of PET International, the following vision statement was approved: PET envisions a ten-fold increase in PET production and distribution by 2015!
What are the challenges for PET FL - Penney Farms of a ten-fold increase in production by 2015?
This sign marked the spot where our “new” Shop was built in 2008! It is now a symbol for a ‘newer’ warehouse to be built soon to accomodate PETs coming from other sites to be transported to Jacksonville Port – and is a sign of many other facets of PET which need to be increased in order to meet the challenge of the vision statement!
Did you know that our goal has been to produce 80 PETs per month? In the month of March 2010 we exceeded this for the first time when 98 PETs were produced and packed! And the last week in April, we exceeded our weekly goal of 20 by 4! The PET FL-Penney Farms Board of Directors will be determining what our five year goals will be to help meet our part on this ten-fold increase for PET International!
How will our partners in Keystone Heights. FL be able to increase the number of Junior PETs - currently about 6 per month?
Another milestone was reached in March: 4,000 PETs have been produced by our affiliate since 2001! Four thousand individuals, four thousand families, which surely impacted more than four thousand villages celebrating this GIFT OF HOPE AND MOBILITY!
Trainees from PET UT-Brigham City and PET TX-Austin
The newest site approved as an Affiliate is PET TX-Rio Grande Valley, located in Mission, Texas! There are currently two other new sites setting dates to come to Penney Farms for their training, the first step in becoming a new affiliate!
Question: How many more sites will be formed to meet the ten-fold increase goal by 2015?
Did you know that there are now 16 PET affiliates in the United States and five producing site overseas?
Did you know that there are now two approved training sites for those wishing to start a new affiliate – here at Penney Farms and at PET KS-Moundridge?
John and Mary Beth - Volunteers since 2001!
Did you know that for the first three months of 2010 82 volunteers worked at the Penney Farms PET shop for 3,291 hours? Many volunteers have worked since 2001 on a regular basis. An increase in the number of students, visitors and folks from surrounding communities giving their time have helped increase our production. BUT, it will be strategic to increase the number of folks who can work regularly, Monday – Thursday. Currently the most needed volunteers are painters and those who can work with wood on the variety of saws and other machines.
Did you know that since 2001 the average cost of producing, packing and sending a PET to any point in the U.S. for a distribution partner to take it from there to their work continues to be $250.? Over the years, the cost of materials has varied greatly. One of the most expensive items used to be steel, but now our steel is donated by Tampa Bay Steel and by our faithful parts makers. Because of this and other ongoing faithful financial support, we have been able avoid delays in production for lack of funds. To determine the cost of a PET: total expenses are divided by the total number of PETs produced and packed equaling the average cost of a PET! Faithful giving will need to be increased if we are to increase our production.
Did you know that the longest producing PET Site is in Zambia? When Laura and Larry Hills retired to Penney Retirement Community in 1999, they turned over the PET Shop in Zambia to Delbert and Sandy Groves. The PET Shop at the New Life Center had the knowledge, experienced workers and all wooden materials to produce a PET.
Over the years, PET MO-Columbia has supplied the metal parts and wheels needed for the complete PET. It is now time for all PET affiliates to assist this site to make PETs for the thousands in this and the surrounding areas in need. If you visit our site you will see an old rusty colored seafreight container on a truck. It is waiting for the donations from all PET affiliates to fill it to send to Zambia to help them make 1,000 PETS! The folks in Zambia are waiting … there are thousands already known to want and need PETs.
Mr. Raul Mendieta Hidalgo is 79 years old and works in the streets of Quininde selling bottled water. He supports his wife, 6 children and 3 grandchildren. His lower limbs were amputated after suffering a car accident. He travels about 6 km every day in his PET!
Quininde, Ecuador
Our Distribution Partner, MedShare, took these pictures as PETs were distributed in Quininde, Ecuador. MedShare was a new Partner in August 2009. They collect and send medical equipment and supplies to hospitals around the world. We have sent three shipments to their facilities in Decatur, Georgia.
Mr. Santos Jose Falcones is 53 years old and is disabled in one upper limb and one lower limb. He works shining shoes in the central square of Quininde. His disability is very severe. He supports 6 children who are in school. He has had no family to help him travel from the outskirts of Quininde to the central square every day. But now he can go on his PET!
As we strive to increase production, having distribution partners who can move containers, have the contacts and expertise to distribute PETs to those in need of this “wheelchair that can go where a wheelchair can’t” is most important. Thankfully, the Director of Operations of PET International has increased the number of Distribution Partners. Through a covenant agreement with each partner we have more assurance that PETs get to those who really need them.
Did you know that PETs now go to 88 countries?
Larry Hills, Director
Sierra Leone
Did you know that a significant part of Larry’s job as Director of our PET Project is Quality Assurance?This is an ongoing responsibility. When setting up the new shop Larry designed an assembly line style, with jigs ready to assure the proper cuts, holes, etc. Routine tasks include teaching new volunteers, monitoring all to assure that procedures and standards are followed and training Shop Coordinators for their supervision responsibilities.
Additionally, on a broader basis, Larry visits PET affiliate sites to consult with and learn from each one. In 2003, Larry went to Sierra Leone. He had heard there were some problems and he wanted to see them first hand. The polio community in Sierra Leone used PETs to help the entire community – they became community PETs. A major task was fetching water, using two five gallon cooking oil containers in the back and one container in the front of a PET. This water load was hauled for long distances over hilly and rough terrain, stressing some parts of the PETs. The drivers had already found ways to repair the parts that were wearing out, Larry listened, and upon returning home, insisted that all PETs already packed were to be opened and corrections made!
Those who use the PET can best make suggestions for changes.
Now our distribution partners are helping to assure the quality of PETs. Recently, in El Salvador, the Association for Human Development sent a report about the 200 PETs distributed to more than eight communities and wrote stating “No irregularities were found but there were complaints about some of the design features. One of these was that the peddling device hit the knees of the driver; the other was that for some the seat was too close to the peddling device and a third was that the seats were too uncomfortable.” There are already ideas and models on how the seats can be made so that adjustments can be made locally as necessary. At the PET International Annual Meeting last fall, there were an array of new PET models for viewing and discussion. The ingenuity of those with a PET is marvelous. Kirby Goering from PET KS-Moundridge talk to a driver in Ecuador who had had his PET for eight years. He had added a canopy, painted in blue and installed a multi-speed bicycle drive. The wooden bed on the PET makes it easy to make changes to the PET to suit the needs of the owners. All PET sites encourage the PET recipients to experiment and improve a PET!
