Working Bikes Founder visits His Wheels Headquarter

Today Lee from Working Bikes located in Chicago came out to His Wheels Headquarters. Working bikes has a system where they have shipped 6,000 bikes around the world this year alone. They have trained mechanics where the shipments are sent. With the bikes they also send spare parts that are needed to repair the bikes. These bikes need more repair than we would put into them. So today we have begun a partnership with Working Bikes. Those bikes that are beyond repair will go to Working Bikes. 

 Where will this bike go? 

No problem. There's room. 

Grant is learning from Lee, the pro. 

 What # of bike does that make Grant?

Guess how many bikes ended up in this load. Add to the number you guess one HWI trike. 

 They will put our trike on display at their headquarters. Lee will also take it with him to the 50 + events he attends around the state every year.

Working Bikes Visit

Here are a few pictures from our visit to Working Bikes in Chicago last Tuesday, the 29th.

 This is their storefront where they sell bikes, do repairs, and sell a small selection of parts.  This is about a quarter of their building where Kevin estimated they have 5,000 bikes stored!

 Here Alice and Kevin are getting a run down on how volunteers get involved, while Grant wandered around gaping at the 10 work stands and full tool sets they had in this upstairs workshop.

One Working Bikes' major purposes is to send bikes overseas to partners they have in various Global South countries. All the bikes were all ready to be packed into one shipping container with tons of extra tires, wheels, seats, and other parts they might need to be replaced when they arrive. They give out 5,000 bikes a year this way.

 These polaroids are of some of their volunteers who have helped work on bikes and pack shipping containers. They look like a fun group!

This last picture is of one of the ways they like to get people excited about bikes. This old Schwinn trainer is connected to a generator that as you pedal faster turns progressively turns on the each bulb, 1 through 5.  Another bike was set up to power a turn-table that played a Diana Ross record.

1st Togo Trike Update

When the Ebersole's went back to Togo West Africa in 2007, they took one of our first generation trikes. Today I got a report back. I can't think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than knowing how God has used a trike in a person's life. Russ Ebersole wrote, "we exhibited the trike many times as we were looking for a good candidate.  Because of its larger size, it was not conducive for a younger child, and the fact that the chain moved continuously (ie, no "glide" if you stopped pedaling) made it more difficult for younger people.  But during that term, we found a young man from a village about 7 km away from the hospital who had to have his leg amputated due to a delay in seeking care after a severe fracture that became infected.  He was at our hospital for a long time, and afterwards he returned to see us on many occasions. So we gave him the trike, and we have some photos/videos...I will get forward the pictures your way.  Thanks so much for that trike, and I know this young man (in his 20s now) certainly appreciates it."

They will take one of our latest generation trikes back with them in the fall. They are interested in possibly getting some compact trike kit.

Our time at UIC

Here are a couple of pictures of the two different groups that presented on Tuesday about their findings regarding HWI potentially bringing a US trike into production. These undergrad students learned a lot about how hard it is to bring a product to market and we gained a lot more understanding about what we will have to do if we want to make that happen. 

This last picture is of Harvey and Alice laughing, I think this portrays the fun that we had that morning both at UIC and at Working Bikes.

Thanks & Congratulations UIC Students

Hooray to the 9 University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)  Students. They gave amazing presentations of their US His Wheels trike findings. What an amazing group of students. Thanks so much to all of you and for the hundreds of hours you poured into the project on behalf of HWI.

Trip to Chicago

Tomorrow His Wheels travels to University of Illinois (UIC) to hear the US trike feasibility study findings presented by 9 students. Then from UIC we will head south a few miles and meet with the folks at Working Bikes. We look forward to many new discoveries on our trip to Chicago.

Conference Trike Journey Continues

Since Dr. Harold Adolph took one of our trikes to the Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, from November 10-12th we got an email from Al, a board member with PET International. PET is a faith-based, (Mennonite I think) volunteer-powered, humanitarian, and world-wide organization. Personal Energy Transportation vehicle is a hand-pedaled three wheel wooden trike. Since their inception in 1995 PET now has 22-affiliate site that have made and distributed 30,000 PETs to 92 countries through over 23 distribution partners. PETS  mission is to reflect the love of Jesus Christ by bringing the gift of mobility and dignity to those in developing countries who are unable to walk. Al's email said, “The need has come up for a trike that has higher wheels... and can carry some cargo. From your photos it looks like His Wheels is making a trike much like what we  are envisioning. How can we work with you to get a trike that fits our needs?”

The email was followed by an hour phone call. A few days later a meeting was scheduled at His Wheels headquarters for December 5, 2011. Representatives from PET along with someone from Hope Haven will come from Indiana, Missouri and Iowa to meet with us. Hope Haven's mission is As followers of Christ, we unleash potential in people through work and life skills so that they may enjoy a productive life in their community. To date, over 90,000 wheelchairs have been distributed in 106 countries.This ministry, as with all of Hope Haven's services, is "a ministry of Christian mercy based on the conviction that God's Word speaks to and directs all of life." There is also a program in Guatemala where the disabled are manufacturing wheelchairs and have built some other prototypes. 

We look forward to what God has in store. Please pray for safe travels and God's will to be done through this meeting whereby we as the Church of Jesus Christ can assist those in need through the tool of transportation.

 

Christmas Bike Sale

Bike Sale rescheduled for this Friday from 9AM-2PM instead of Saturday. The sale is at 302 Union St. in Wheaton, across the street from the 10,000 Village Sale. If you can help email me at info@hiswheels.org. If you are interested in buying a bike we have about 30 bikes for sale.

Trike headed to Togo West Africa

Yesterday I emailed Dr. Harold Adolph who took our trike to the Global Missions Health Conference this week. I had learned that Dr. Ebersole, whom we sent a trike to Togo with in 2007, was speaking at the conference. 

Today I got an email from Dr. Harold Adolph who is at the Global Missions Health Conference where he had a trike. He said, "You will be interested to know that God arranged to have this trike go to Togo and my brother Bob packed it up in his vehicle to take to someone going to Togo soon. They will take pictures and send them to you.

 

I had just told the Lord that the trike still didn't have a home and would He please help me find a good home for it. At our booth, when I arrived, was my brother who said he would like it to go to Togo. That was a long wait for a great answer."

 

How exciting to think of where this trike will take His Wheels. We trust the travelers and the trike will have a safe journey.

Global Missions Health Conference

Dr. Adolph with Soddo Christian Hospital took one of HWI's trikes tot the Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, KY. The conference is from Nov. 10-12th. We are then hoping to give the trike away to an organization that is participating in the conference who may have a way to use trikes in their ministry overseas.

University of Illinois Trike feasibility Presentations

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Students have been working on a US trike feasibility study for His Wheels this semester. On November 29, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.  the students will present their findings. The 2 groups compiled of 9 students will both give a 20-30 minute presentation. It will take place on Univ. of IL Chicago campus in the Physical Education Building (PEB) on Roosevelt Rd.  We would welcome board members, potential investors, volunteers and others who are interested in hearing the presentation to consider coming. The room holds 48 people so lets fill the room up. Please consider joining us or pass it on to someone you think may be interested. Let Alice know if you can make it by emailing me at info@hiswheels.org. We will give you specific directions then.

Praising The Ultimate Dream Weaver- Jesus Christ

This young boy suffers from paralysis of his legs from polio. 

"His Wheels International has provided the parts for a tricyle that will allow him mobility around Soddo Ethiopia that will keep him from crawling in the dust and mud from now on. He is on the small side and so the trike will be downsized to accommodate him. His family is extremely happy that he will be able to go to school in this way! PTL and thanks to HIS WHEELS. We hope to be able to start a little plant to manufacture these on our own in Soddo." Duane Anderson, MD

Soddo Christian Hospital

In the future Soddo won't have to down size trikes. We now have a compact trike that will comfortably fit people from 5 years old to those who are 5 feet tall. 

Ethiopian Trike Project

Today Dr. Anderson sent us a message from Soddo Christian Hospital in Ethiopia today. "All the trikes are done! We will start distribution soon." You may remember that in May 2010 we sent a crate filled with 15 trike kits and one completed trike via a container to Soddo Christian Hospital. The container arrived at the hospital on December 31, 2010 which was January 1, 2011 in Ethiopia. 

His Wheels Trikes fabricated in Ethiopia

Mission Accomplished

Please pray with us that God would use the trikes as a tool for expanding His Kingdom as they distribute them to those in need.

   

Speechless and Surprised

This week has been one of organizational soul searching. After 17 months in our headquarters, many awesome things have happened but we still have trouble identifying our focus. After talking with our team, consulting with one of our consultants and supporters and prayerfully considering the options we as a board had concluded that maybe it was time to close the headquarters. We could downsize and pull back and try to clarify the vision. After discussing it with nine people Kevin and I were getting ready to end the lease in December. However God made it clear He had other plans. A businessman said he didn't think it was time for us to close the headquarters. He helped us identify some of what we needed. Then he said, I so believe in what you are doing that I am going to cover the next eight months of your rent and then we will reevaluate the situation. I (Alice) left the meeting with this businessman speechless. So much so that Kevin said, "I've never seen you speechless. This is kind of fun to watch." 


One of the needs we have is for volunteers who can keep the building open so others can come into work. It would not require mechanical skills but more receptionist type skills. If you or someone you know would be interested in volunteering in this way please contact our office at 630-510-1005 or email us at info@hiswheels.org. In the meantime please rejoice with us in how God has chosen to make His plan clear. Pray for clarity, direction, discernment and wisdom.

Record High

This morning there were 13 of our His Wheels team at the Headquarters along with Rick and Carol Calenberg missionaries serving with SIM (Serving in Mission). The Calenbergs spent several years as missionaries in Nigeria. On Sunday I (Alice) thought Rick was the missionary in the picture I had of the trikes we bought in Nigeria back in 2005 but I was wrong. God used that mistake to bring us together for a meeting this morning. He knew all the people in the picture and could speak of the way transportation meets such an important need for those in Nigeria and throughout the world. Rick encouraged us to continue our work and shared some scripture with us of continuing on along the highway of holiness.


Our staff team also met today and began to discuss some of the other needs we have to build our infrastructure. In a few weeks we hope to bring some of our needs to you to see if you can help. Please pray for us as we determine the tools needed to take His Wheels to the next destination God has for us.

A man along the road

Melessa who received the first His Wheels trike in Ethiopia last January is from Kambata, Ethiopia. He saw this man crawling in the street about 150 km from Soddo, Ethiopia. He told him about His Wheels trikes. 

 Melessa took him on his motorized trike  to Hailemariam's garage where they are being fabricated.

Hailemariam is the older man standing next to the trike.

 I, Alice, sometimes wonder if I'm all alone. My faith falters as at times when I'm waiting for a need of mine to be met. I wonder how will God meet my need when I can't imagine any human solution. This has been one of those week. However this picture comforts my heart. The Lord knew this man's need and I can't help to think that this man probably wondered if God would meet his basic need of transportation. I wonder how his life has been changed forever because Melessa stopped, gave him a ride, and how those through Soddo Christian Hospital provided a trike which Hailemariam fabricated.

 Melessa arranged for the transport of the trike to Kambata for very little
money. 

Praise the Lord that we can partner together providing trikes as a tool for aiding and expanding Christ's Kingdom work. Thanks Dr. Duane Anderson for the story and pictures.

Missions Week

Today at Wheaton Evangelical Free Church's Missions Conference Rick, an SIM missionary spoke. I, Alice, had never met Rick, however when he mentioned serving in Nigeria a lightbulb went off. He was present when Tracy, another missionary gave away the first 5 trikes I bought locally in Nigeria in 2004. In 2007 Zachariah, an international student from Nigeria saw the picture of the trikes I'd given away. He pointed out that the white man in the picture was Rick. Today I met Rick for the first time. On Friday he is going to visit His Wheels headquarters. 

Contacts

It is Amazing to me how contacts lead to contacts and then to possibilities that were only a remote thought just a couple months ago. The meeting with the UIC students on Saturday was just one of those amazing events that only God through contacts arranges. The possibilities are beginning to be just that, real possibilities. Where this will go only One knows. Thanks for contacts and possibilities!

Brainstorming with UIC Students

Today 7 University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) students came to HWI office to gather information for the US trike feasibility study they are doing for us as a class project. I (Alice) thought they were Masters level students but today I learned they are all undergraduates completing their degree in kinesiology, the same degree I got from UIC back in 1990.

Our trike team spent 3 hours answering their questions, telling how our trike division evolved and when their brains were spinning from all the technical information I got to share my personal story and give God the glory. The energy, enthusiasm, excitement, and interest they had for the project was electrifying. 

 

Watching them try the trikes, hearing why they chose the project, sharing some good laughs and exchanging great ideas was all a plus.One student was a marathon runner. He said he would love to use one of our trikes to train for marathons, getting his upper body in shape. He took it for the longest ride. Kevin our engineer said, “I haven’t seen anyone burn rubber on the trike yet.” So this guy took it as a personal challenge and gave it his best effort. Afterwards Kevin said, “I saw rubber burning.”  My eyesight wasn’t quite that clear!

How is your eyesight?

When I left the joy in my heart bubbled over and out. Today God gave me much more than I could have ever imagined. My dream was to teach physical education and pursue my PhD in exercise physiology but my disability made that an impossibility.  

Our Latest US Trike

Kevin, our trike engineer has surprised us again with his amazing skill, creativity and simplicity.

It moves fast with seven gears

The seat is comfy 

 Nice storage underneath and there is also a back basket

Slick wheels

Long Time No Post

I (Alice) enjoyed a much needed time off in early September. But His Wheels kept marching on in my absents thanks to our volunteers and our bike and trike coordinators.


Today there were 7 of us. We were from 6 different area churches. On our Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday morning workdays we take time for updates and then we pause to pray. Here are some of the updates I shared today.

• Kevin our engineer brought our new US trike by so volunteers could take it for a spin and give input.
• Yesterday I got to try the trike and Kevin and I had a long discussion about the pros and cons and maneuverability of the trike.
• A Boy Scout from a neighboring suburb heard me on the radio in August. He contacted us about doing his Eagle Scout project with us. The project has been submitted for approval and then he hopes to begin with us.
• A friend of the ministry referred one of his friends to begin helping with HWI. The man just lost his wife to death and is looking for a place to volunteer. He is an avid cyclists and does his own wrenching (bike mechanics) and has a dream to build his own bike. He came by today to check us out, he talked with our trike design engineer about his ideas and he plans to join our team.
• On Friday a missionary is coming by to discuss ways he can reach out to an immigrant apartment community using bicycles as his curriculum to draw the adolescent boys in the complex together. We are going to brainstorm with him. He has the missionary heart and some bicycle knowledge but his dream is part of our dream.
• On Saturday 10 Master's students from University of Illinois are coming to the headquarters to learn more from us as they venture out to do a U.S. trike feasibility study for us.

We stand in awe of how the Lord is growing His Wheels and using bikes and trikes as a tool for expanding His Kingdom. Pray with us about these up and coming opportunities.

Trike to University of Illinois Chicago

Today our trike team of Kevin our engineer, Ken our trike coordinator and Alice our Executive Director went to University of Illinois Chicago and presented a US version of the trike to a class. Alice is an alumni of UIC. On Thursday the students choose what team they want to be part of. I believe there will be 2 trike teams with 5 students/team. They will do a feasibility study and present their findings in about 14 weeks. All 3 of us were encouraged and look forward to what God has planned.

Once again Kevin surprised us all with his amazing creativity. We are all grateful for the unique gifts that each of us bring to the team. Alice began the presentation by sharing the way HWI got started. Having had a class in the very same classroom she began her speech from that point. Then Ken, who has spent many years as a missionary kid and then a missionary in Africa explained the value of the trike. Kevin ended our time by debuting the new trike and talking about the features.

Thanks to all who prayed. Indeed God was glorified and we were encouraged. Only the Lord knows where this all will lead. We are glad He does.

Open House August 27, 2011

We had an awesome open house. About 30 people attended. What we lacked in numbers we exceeded in sharing, encouraging, and passing the torch of God's goodness on to each other through recalling stories of God's faithfulness. We brought in 15 bikes. This AM we had 10 people help us. Thanks to all who came, encouraged us through notes and prayer. We serve an awesome God who wants to astound us by His miracles.

Mailbox Surprises

Today I received two fun pieces of mail. 

The first was a letter from an St. James Episcopal Church in New Hampshire. Before opening it I thought, "Who heard about us in NH and how did they hear about us." The check was accompanied with a short note that said, "With our prayers and support Tobias and St James Episcopal Church." The note made my, Alice's, day because back in 1983 I lived with Tobias, Rose and their then three children in Harare Zimbabwe while doing a nine-week mission trip. While using their family bike, I thought,"if I only had a brake cable and a tool I could fix this bike." It was then that I knew God was calling me to provide tools so the nationals could serve their own people. The idea germinated for 20 years until 2003 when a Tanzanian mentioned how valuable a bicycle would be to help nationals help there own people. Thanks Tobias, Rose and church family.

The other piece of mail said, "My sister bought a bike at your bike sale last week. I am interested in volunteering to help with working on bikes. Thank you! 

Open House/Bike Collection/Workday

Saturday August 27, 2011
21W161 Hill Ave.
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Location: His Wheels Headquarters
Detailed Map to HWI Headquartershttp://www.hiswheels.org/Resources/Layout/Sidebar/map.png

9AM-8PM Bike Collection
9-1PM: Workday to prepare for open house.
1-8PM: Open House & Refreshments. Between
2-3PM we will have an hour of sharing and prayer.

Bring a friend and come join us. We are aiming for 200 people, doubling last years attendance.
Address: Find a clear map with directions to our office on the front page of our website at www.hiswheels.org.

Bike Sale Ends Early

We sold out of adult bicycles. In just over 4 hours we sold 44 bikes in the past 2 days. We brought in $5,000. We only had 10 children's bikes left over. We will have those for sale at our open house next Saturday. Thanks for making our first annual return to college sale such a success.


Thanks also to Katie Stump for sharing her graphics artists skills and making such a catchy sign. Thanks also to the Stump's for hosting the sale.

Bike Sale

Awesome bike sale today. We sold over 20 bikes and made $2,565. Thanks to all who came, spread the word and made it happen. We will be there tomorrow from 3-5PM again. Address is 812 N. President St./Wheaton, IL

Ken attends Global Leadership Summit

It was a great two days to hear from some the foremost business personalities in todays market along with some of the most exciting church leaders out there. Here are  some of the people we heard from- Mama Maggie Gobran, Bill Hybels, Steven Furtick, Honorable Cory A. Booker, Seth Godin, Erwin McManus, and others. Many of these names are not familiar but google them and see who they are. It was a great time of learning leadership principles in business and ministry. It was a great time.

Trike Progress

A few pictures of the progress on the US trike prototype. The seat is

partially assembled and shown in position on the partially assembled

frame. One of the actual size wheels is shown temporarily clamped in

place to help verify final side to side clearance. Unlike our African

trikes designed with a wide wheelbase for rough and uneven terrain,

this design will be narrower. This will allow it to go thru most

doorways and narrower openings, such as a wheelchair can.

 

Mark Your Calendar

Thursday Work Evenings: August 11 and 25 from 6:30P-9:30P. You are welcome to come and learn how to repair bikes

Saturday August 13, 2011 tune in to 91.9, Family radio in the Chicagoland area, WJCH on . The show is aired at 6:30AM, 12P and  5 PM.

Bike Sale  on Thurs, Aug, 18th, Friday Aug. 19th, Sat. Aug 20th, and Tues Aug. 22 from 3-5PM at 812 N. President St., Wheaton, IL 60187

Join us for His Wheels International's Open House: Saturday, August 27th 

9-1PM: Workday to prepare for open house. 1-8PM: Open House & Refreshments. Between 2-3PM we will have an hour of sharing and prayer. Bring a friend and come join us at 21W161 Hill Ave. Glen Ellyn, IL 60187. Find map and directions on our website home page at www.hiswheels.org

Nearing Completion of my 1st book proposal

I have 11 more paragraphs to write, which are chapter descriptions for my book proposal. The sample chapter is ready, the cover letter is ready and hopefully next week it is off to publishers. What an exhilarating and exhausting feeling all at once.


Thanks to all who have made my memoir a reality. They include those who challenged me to write the book, those who've read the book, those who walked through the journey as I lived the book first, those who are doing final read throughs and all the other people who contributed in so many unique ways to my life, my character and my growth.

Work Begins

As you may have noticed, we have temporarily halted work on the racing

trike, due to a delay getting the appropriate wheels for the rear.

In the meantime, another of our current projects has been developing…a

prototype hand pedaled trike designed for the US market. It will be

used to research the feasability of such a trike, and wether it would

sell for an acceptable profit. That profit would then be used by HWI

to support our international hand pedaled trike program. Such an

alternate “income source” would be especially helpful in paying for a

portion of the cost of these trikes in places where the disabled

recipient cannot afford to pay the full price of the trike they need.

In the pictures below you will see some of the parts for the new seat

design. While this US trike will be similar in some ways to our

African style trikes, it will have several changes that we feel may be

crucial to a US market. One of these is a somewhat more sophisticated

seat design that looks better and is easier to adjust. It will also

have an easily removed seat back to allow the trike to fit into most

cars.

Ken learns about Blogs

Today Alice, Grant and Ken tried to get on the same page with HWI's social media output.  We are almost there, who knows we may only be 3-4 years behind the curve soon.

Big Day-Riding on Faith Manuscript finished

Today, 20 years after the onset of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome I finished my read through/corrections on my manuscript, Riding on Faith. I got the word count down from 104,000 to 66,000. I've copied it, sent it out to readers. Next step is an annotated Table of Contents, cover letter, sample chpt. and off to the publishers. Oh, bathed in prayer of course.

The Gift of Words

Here is a paragraph from one of the Eastern European Students who has the privilege of studying in America for six weeks during the summer. It is a program that involves the efforts of Wheaton College, Domanada Foundation and others. Before leaving they write up a final paper about their experience. 

Specifically I want to give some place in my writing to bicycle. (You know that every student was given a free bicycle in the beginning of the program.) First, I did not bike for about 30 years! So, for me it was a challenge to get back to the saddle. But little by little I get to use biking and my last achievement was driving to the church 12 miles away from the campus. 12 miles one way and 12 miles return by prairie path. I was exhausted but happy. Not only because of the beauty of the forests and parks, but because two of my dreams come true. I always wanted to bike with my wife and our oldest son, but was kind of too timid to do so. Also, I dreamed about coming to US and go wherever I want all by myself. I thought for this reason I need to rent a car, but bike is quite appropriate and absolutely free of gas expenses.

When he went home we sent him with a pedal to fix his son's bike.

Wheaton E Free 3 min. speech

Here is the 3 min. speech I gave in our church service this AM.

Thanks for the opportunity to share a few ways Wheaton E Free has reached out and impacted our neighbors. Back in 2003 the Govertsons invited a couple from Tanzania, and myself for dinner. Through our conversation, the vision for His Wheels International was sparked. Then in 2005, during one of the darkest seasons of my life, God challenged me to obey Him and begin His Wheels International, which I did.

His Wheels mission is to provide bikes and hand-pedaled trikes through global partnerships as a tool for expanding Christ’s Kingdom. In the United States we collect, repair and redistribute used bicycles. Through our global division we have designed a hand-pedaled trike and a trike-building program to benefit those with lower extremity disabilities. Since our inception His Wheels has distributed over 1,400 bikes to individuals affiliated with 88 countries and 52 trikes are on 5 continents. The latest trike was fabricated and distributed in Soddo, Ethiopia last week. The recipient, disabled by polio, will use the trike to travel to work, where he shines shoes to support his family.

Now - Fast forward to 2010.

 One day Jeanne Wendt learned, as a result of the tutoring program with Lincoln School, that a staff member was buying bicycles out of her own pocket. Jeanne said, “I think we can help” so last year we distributed 9 bikes. Then in November WEFC and HWI entered into a non-financial partnership.

This spring 14 church families delivered 25 bikes. The recipients affiliated with Lincoln School were from 8 countries.

One bike was given so a father had transportation to get to work, now no longer able to afford gas.

When one little boy saw his bike he said, "This is the bike I've always wanted!"

Another hopped right on her bike and rode down the sidewalk."

One family said, “Thanks this is like Christmas in July!"

When I delivered 5 bikes to a family the mother and I shared a hug, and I was invited in. There I had the opportunity to tell the children about Summer Bible Clubs, through the church, “where you go for your School Christmas Programs.”

If you are interested in volunteering, or learning more about our bike deliveries and His Wheels International join us next hour in room 201, New Life Class. Also, pick up a brochure at the visitor’s center.

I close by saying, thanks for the ways that you too have made a difference by reaching out.