Life on The Farm

Life on the Farm
By Matt Chapman 

Every now and then life has a way of introducing you to people who make you stop dead in your tracks and look at things from a different perspective. For me, that person was Ellen, one of our recent recipients in Northern, MI who needed a rugged power wheelchair that could withstand daily use on her small farm. With the wheelchair delivery taken care of by Wright & Filippis, I made arrangements to stop by Ellen’s house one weekend on my way up to Traverse City. I had talked to her on the phone a few times and was exciter to meet her.

I figured it would be a short visit and I’d be back on my way north. After a tour of the farm, the gardens, and a few minutes of chasing her chickens around the yard, she invited my wife and I inside for a glass of iced tea and a piece of fresh zucchini bread. We talked for a long time and throughout our entire conversation she kept reiterating how thankful she was for the chair. The next Monday she called me crying and said, “I feel terrible because I didn’t even tell you that the only reason I can do all this stuff on my farm because of the wheelchair.” I was touched by her compassion and told her that she didn’t need to tell me that because I already knew. After all, that is the reason for our mission!

It was a great visit and Ellen made sure to load us up with farm fresh eggs, cucumbers, and zucchini before we left. Since receiving the wheelchair, Ellen has made three donations to Alternatives in Motion to show her thanks for our organization, a touching show of support from a very special recipient.