Independence After Injury
Donation protected
My name is Jerry Thompson and I am a member of a non-profit community pottery guild called Village Potters. Over the last year, one our founding members Debbie Liberman, due to a failed knee surgery (4 times), has forfeited her auto, her independence, and her home for a barrier-free apartment. She has also lost her participation as a full-time clay artist at our guild.
To many of our members she is the life of our studio. She has been been elected board member multiple times, served as education director for our students, and often volunteers for designing and piloting new programs and workshops benefiting children, seniors, charities, etc.
Besides being an extraordinary potter and the "go to person" for tools & techniques, she is the person who always thinks of others first and daily makes everyone smile when we walk in and she greets us.
After retiring from a retail management career, the failed surgery has left her wheelchair bound and lost her ability to produce her pottery, a source of creative expression and community participation. Debbie hasn't stopped sharing her love of clay and inspiring others. A few weeks ago got a group of seniors together in her apartment complex to make holiday ornaments.
BUT, our studio has lost her special spirit of comradeship, volunteerism, and community outreach. We need her back. The community needs her back.
We hoped the S.E. Michigan area transit vote in November would be a transport solution for her wheelchair, but the public turned down the proposal.
So ... our latest idea to bring back "the light" of our organization is to find a good used mobility van for Debbie's use, with automatic door & ramp and wheelchair driver position that offers a return from injury to independence for Debbie.
As colleagues & close friends, we intend to help her, like she has ALWAYS helped others, to return to inspiring students and co-workers in the joy of clay work. Her closest friends are pooling a portion of the cost of the van for her use, and a social worker friend advised us to work with GoFundMe to raise the remaining funds for the van's cost & expenses for the first year. By then, she can return to the guild & resume her participation.
Although these vans can cost $60k new, the conversion itself being $25k, we are working with Superior Mobility in Indiana to find a properly equipped, low-mileage van in the $35k range to purchase for Debbie's use.
Any of you who might help us return Debbie to career & independent movement with this fundraiser are greatly appreciated. Thank you for hearing our request for assistance.
To many of our members she is the life of our studio. She has been been elected board member multiple times, served as education director for our students, and often volunteers for designing and piloting new programs and workshops benefiting children, seniors, charities, etc.
Besides being an extraordinary potter and the "go to person" for tools & techniques, she is the person who always thinks of others first and daily makes everyone smile when we walk in and she greets us.
After retiring from a retail management career, the failed surgery has left her wheelchair bound and lost her ability to produce her pottery, a source of creative expression and community participation. Debbie hasn't stopped sharing her love of clay and inspiring others. A few weeks ago got a group of seniors together in her apartment complex to make holiday ornaments.
BUT, our studio has lost her special spirit of comradeship, volunteerism, and community outreach. We need her back. The community needs her back.
We hoped the S.E. Michigan area transit vote in November would be a transport solution for her wheelchair, but the public turned down the proposal.
So ... our latest idea to bring back "the light" of our organization is to find a good used mobility van for Debbie's use, with automatic door & ramp and wheelchair driver position that offers a return from injury to independence for Debbie.
As colleagues & close friends, we intend to help her, like she has ALWAYS helped others, to return to inspiring students and co-workers in the joy of clay work. Her closest friends are pooling a portion of the cost of the van for her use, and a social worker friend advised us to work with GoFundMe to raise the remaining funds for the van's cost & expenses for the first year. By then, she can return to the guild & resume her participation.
Although these vans can cost $60k new, the conversion itself being $25k, we are working with Superior Mobility in Indiana to find a properly equipped, low-mileage van in the $35k range to purchase for Debbie's use.
Any of you who might help us return Debbie to career & independent movement with this fundraiser are greatly appreciated. Thank you for hearing our request for assistance.
Organizer
Jerry Thompson
Organizer
Ypsilanti, MI