Volunteers in Brigham City rolled out the first PET (Personal Energy Transportation) vehicle made in Utah. The unit was built in the local workshop at 430 North Main and was completed last week as the culmination of almost two years of effort.

Wooden PET vehicles are made by volunteers in workshops across the US. The three-wheeled hand-operated vehicles are provided free to those with limited mobility in underdeveloped countries.  These may be people with mobility problems since birth, caused by diseases, accidents or encounters with land mines.

It was a beaming Norm Anderson who announced completion of PET unit #1. Anderson, project manager, describes himself as “number one flunkie.. He has attended national PET training and conferences, combined pickup of parts with family trips, negotiated for parts, work space and volunteers, and done much of the hands-on work since the local branch of the international PET Project was founded in 2007.

The group encountered some set-backs, having just equipped their first workshop in the lower level of Merrell’s Planing Mill when a fire whipped through the building in November 2008.  Volunteers showed up quickly to move and clean donated equipment and store it in garages and sheds until the new workshop site was located and set up.

Several volunteers came to witness the launching of PET Unit #1, including Ben Jones, assistant manager of the project; volunteer worker, Richard Carr, number one trainee and accomplished volunteer; Dr. Otto Smith, volunteer tailor of seat belts; and Della Woodward, who assembled a group of “cut-up” ladies to cut  reflective material into shapes to be attached to the vehicles.

Other hands-on contributors include Walter Smith, cutting parts; Roger Priest of Richmond, making and supplying crank handles and chain guards; Scott Jensen, using his new welding equipment.

Most of the wood parts in the unit were rescued from the mill fire last November, and Anderson reports the group finally has enough metal parts to complete approximately a dozen units.

“This number one unit will be retained here to help in presentations and for display purposes,” said Anderson.  “We are now one of about 16 sites in the USA that are producing about 360 vehicles per month. All of them are sent overseas as a ‘gift of mobility’ to those in need.”

Often started under the sponsorship of local churches, PET projects become non-profit corporations operated entirely by volunteers.   Civic, fraternal and religious organizations often team up with businesses to help provide materials and shipping.