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Society of the Traveling Chair

Polar Express in Bryson City, NC




On Wednesday, an activity chair was delivered to our home. It had been a year long process, and we were excited to receive it. The technician, Mike, who delivered the equipment was one of those people you connect with immediately. He was friendly and informative, and he was good at his job. I know how to move that activity chair in every way possible because of Mike's lesson, and that was no small feat. It was obvious he liked his job and the group of clients he served.

At home in Charlotte


After he gave us a thorough lesson on how to use the activity chair, I asked him some questions about the Convaid Stroller he delivered to Ben at school in early April. I was not there for that delivery so I did not know all the features. I mentioned that I had Ben's old Convaid Convertible Chair and that I had exhausted my resources to find a home for it. With its broken axle, no one could or would take it. In all other respects, the chair was in great condition. We had new parts exchanged for some of the old just a few months prior to it breaking. It felt weird to put it in the garbage, so it had been sitting in our attic waiting for just this type of connection.

Watching a show at Founder's Hall in Charlotte

Instantly, Mike had our solution. He volunteers with Friends of Disabled Latin Americans, a faith based organization in South Carolina that helps get equipment to people in need. A group of retired engineers, welders, technicians and other interested folks get broken medical equipment, fix them with spare parts and then ship them to people in Latin America.





At our favorite restaurant

I am happy to know that Ben's chair will find a good home. That chair has been up and down the east coast from New York to Disney World, from the beaches to the mountains, and from school and back countless times. It has been on trains, planes and boats. Ben has clocked many miles walking around our neighborhood to and from the YMCA, Smelly Cat and the park.
It has served Ben and our family well. We have many good memories of Ben in that chair and now another child will be able to build some new ones in it. 

Comments

  1. Mike F.May 2, 2014 at 9:36 PM

    It's my extreme pleasure to have met and served Ben and your wonderful family! I feel so honored that you would take the time to acknowledge me in my humble effort to provide the best service to deliver a quality product that will help Ben continue on his "Journey" with the new "Traveling Chair" and to allow those fond memories of the previous chair to bring joy to the next owner! Thank You! **Mike**

    ReplyDelete

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