Ottawa County volunteers help mobilize Third World children

An Ottawa County-based organization is creating personal transportation vehicles that get shipped around the world to people in need. PET MI-Holland is an all-volunteer organization that creates and assembles personal energy transportation vehicles for children in Third World countries that are missing legs or do not have functioning legs. Child-size PETs are only made at the downtown Holland workshop, 124 E. Sixth St.

Tribune Staff

Holland

Apr 8, 2011

Keith and Judy Laidler became involved in the project after visiting a PET plant in Florida. They opened the Holland location in July 2009. Keith is the board president and Judy serves as volunteer coordinator.

Judy said the organization in Holland works on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. They have about 80 volunteers that rotate through, unless there are volunteers that want a regular weekly shift.

Wednesdays and Thursdays are the days that the vehicles get assembled and painted. Tuesday is the day they get taken apart and put in boxes to be shipped.
There are millions of people in need of the vehicles, Keith said.

“They crawl along the ground to be mobile,” he explained. “(PETs) get them up at eye level again, where they can resume their life. They can celebrate life.”

Spring Lake Township Supervisor John Nash said he became involved with the PET project after his brother died.

To read more of this story by Stephanie Lulofs, see today's print edition of the Grand Haven Tribune.

Online:
www.petmiholland.org