Hi everyone and thanks for the welcome!



I always "give" equipment away. I never sell it. Insurance is so ridiculous and sometimes it is so hard for people to get the equipment that they need. And I didn't pay for it in the first place, so I'm sure not going to start charging people for it My son had a $2300 tricycle and last Christmas I was able to give it to a 8 year old little girl that otherwise would not have been able to ride a bike. She always had to sit and watch her brothers ride and she couldn't because she didn't have the balance. I was standing with her mother while she watched her ride it down the street with her brothers and watched her mother cry because she thought she'd never get to see that joy on her daughter's face. It was an awesome feeling!!

Dory, probably next week I will also have an electric wheelchair to give away, although for some reason, yesterday, it stopped working. Do you know any places around her that repair and recycle them?

MistyLT, your children sound wonderful! . Twins, eh? I bet they keep you busy .

I don't know if you may have noticed: BT also has a CP Forum now:

http://forums.braintalk2.org/forumdisplay.php?f=52


Too, it's up to you and/or Dorry whether you might want to post about the items you're giving away within the Classifieds Forum:

http://forums.braintalk2.org/forumdisplay.php?f=55

In the next few days, I'll be sharing some sites that also give-away equipment and offer free med. services. I know how very fortunate I am to have insurance, and I realize that, sadly, there are people who don't . Even with insurance, things can be costly at times, and, too, there are people who can qualify for the free equipment. It may not be something, however, that folks are aware of. The idea: Make sure it's known .

It is so sweet of you, and of Dorry, to keep people in mind as you have! The experience you had after giving away the tricycle made me tear up; I can only imagine how it must have felt for you to be there - with the little girl's mom!

There is a nationwide program that has a drop-off location near my home - for wheelchairs. It makes repairs - to ensure that the chairs are in good shape and working condition before delivering them. The crummy thing is, I didn't even know such existed before getting my chair. Now, I notice so much more. Your offer, along with Dorry's just jumped out and it really touched me - finding that there are still kind and caring people and, thanks to cyberspace, a lot closer than I realized .

Realize I am taking a huge chance of being hated here on BT2......
But here goes.....I am so glad there are wonderful giving people out there...in this day and age too many have their hands out wanting and taking....rarely giving with no strings attatched. It's just awesome when you find wonderful and caring people who are givers. I like the story "Pay it foward"...also saw the web site for this and uncovered a humungous scam....wow!

Let me tell you this story....sad but true.....
But I just want to throw some caution into any transaction made over a web site.
Here goes....
Don had MS (he passed away a few years ago) He was a wonderful friend and was trying to raise his two boys on top of his declining health.
He got a wonderful offer for some medical equipment through an MS forum.
The wonderful person was so sharing and caring to be "giving" him something of great value. We were all exstatic for this.
He only needed to pay for the expensive shipping cost....but the "deal" was definatly worth all that and much, much more.
After sending a money order to the wonderful giver....weeks passed.

But when the equipment never arrived as promised....and a thorough investigation, we all realized he'd been scammed big time.
He was out over $199 for shipping and handling.
Sadly we found out that the gift "giver" had a record of doing this numerous times....but these sort of things are hard to prosecute due to it covering different states. Despite this being a crime....no police agency is going to go after a "petty" theif in a different state.
I know....you are all rolling eyes and ready to shoot me for throwing in such negativeness into such a wonderful offer. I am not calling any one a theif here, I just want those who are vulnerable to check things out.

What happened to Don was just devastating to him and caused a lot of heart-ache to him because he was so trusting and needy at the same time.

Go ahead and be angry at me....but please check things out before sending money into cyber space.
ALWAYS a good idea is to check out references via an agency that handles medical equipment...or better yet....have the agency handle the shipping!
Unless the giver is paying for the shipping....then I'd say...whoo-hooo!
What a deal and wonderful and giving of them.
Please dont be upset with me regarding being cautious.....If you only knew what I've seen from experiences.
The old phrase still rings true "If its sounds too good to be true....it probably is"!
Blessings, Cheryl

Cheryl, that is sad. I don't know that anyone would be angry, though, that you're also offering words of caution - that can apply not only here but everywhere on the Net, and especially when there are people (unfortunately) ever-willing and ready to prey on others.

With the chair that MistyLT is offering, Dorry said that she would take care of the shipping, which is also a very kind thing to do .

I'm not sure how that will work; I suspect that that's something that MistyLT and Dorry will need to work out.

there are groups all over the world that are starting up called FreeCycle. There are thousands of chapters all over. To post on the site you must be willing to give away your items. The chapters are local so you can go and pick the items up. My brother has used them successfully and recommended them to me...here is a link to the home page

http://www.freecycle.org/

Actually Trekker, that is how Dory found me, I posted the chair on a Freecycle site She lives about 35 miles from me. I have never met her and hadn't ever talked to her before then and then she brought me here.


Crytearszzzz-In no way did your post anger me either. I also encourage people to be very careful. When Dory saw my post in the Freecycle group, she emailed me and told me about this group and told me if someone on this site wanted the chair, then she would be pay for shipping.

I also agree with the "Pay It Forward" philosophy. I did not pay for this equipment, the state did. And I'd like to believe that if I did pay for it, I would still give it away to someone when I have no more use for it. There are too many people out there that need things who aren't as fortunate as I was to have insurance that will pay for these things. I was also in that position once and I still have problems getting insurance to pay for the things and I still do not have everything that I need. I think the world would be a lot better place if people that are able to give would do just that.

Hi all...I am so glad my caution didnt "rile" anyones feathers.
Now days the scammers have turned to the internet....seeking vulnerable poor people with offers too wonderful to pass up. I've gotten "taken" a few times on ebay....what a rip off deal some sellers are getting away with. But I've also gotten a few good deals there as well.
But thankfully there are still great people who do give to others.
Many blessings to them for their unselfish giving. They deserve a big group hug from all of us!~
I have found that people who've suffered illnesses, financial difficulties, family issues....these people are often more giving than those who have more than enough.
I do hope all works out on the chair.
Blessings, Cheryl

freecycle is great. i have given many things this way.

and yeppers..i'm big on pay it forward!