Congratulations Charlotte!!

Our Charlotte Staff has been named ONE of BraunAbility‘s 2011 CSI Award winners. They accomplished this by meeting and exceeding customer expectations! We want to Thank ALL of you! With out our customers we would not have achieved this great accomplishment.

Check back next week for pictures of our luncheon and award!

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In June of 2011, Jack and Besty of Rock Hill, SC met with E.J Dulina, a Senior Mobility Consultant at Carolina Mobility Sales in Charlotte NC. They were in need of a wheelchair accessible vehicle for their son John Ross who suffers from a Cerebral Palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. Young John Ross had out grown the family van, his transportation to school, doctor visits, therapy and it was becoming increasingly hard for his family, especially mom, to transfer him from his chair into the van.  Betsy who now suffers from chronic back pain, no doubt from lifting and positioning her son into and out of their non mobility vehicle on a daily basis, was in desperate need of a better solution for their life on the go. After a thorough needs assessment by EJ, who is also a Certified BraunAbility Advisor, it was crystal clear; this family was in need of a BraunAbility wheelchair accessible vehicle for the safe and comfortable transportation of John Ross.

 ”When we met with E.J., I knew I had met a consultant who cared. He was well trained and he understood. He was concerned for John Ross and his needs but he also understood that we as a family wanted to travel together to fun things like parks and birthday parties as well. He understood that John Ross’s twin brother Matthew (who is not in a wheelchair) had made many sacrifices due to our lack of a proper vehicle. EJ vowed to help us solve our mobility needs and he did.”

 EJ added; “I have been well trained by Carolina Mobility Sales and BraunAbility. I have an extra ingredient in my work. I have a son, my Ryan who is confined to a wheelchair. I get it. I understand the needs of those in a wheelchair and the challenges they face on a daily basis. I live it in my personal life and I understand the needs of others and their families. My life with my son Ryan combined with the training I received from Carolina Mobility and BraunAbility makes it very important to me to help families who have children or loved ones in wheelchairs. I get it. When I met this family, nothing was going to stop me from getting them a BraunAbility van to improve their lives.”

 EJ and the family kept in touch weekly. He and Betsy explored every possible way to make a BraunAbility van the solution to their problem. Together they searched for assistance grants, loans and state programs, being denied several times.

  One day EJ got an email from the Ralph Braun Foundation offering up to $5000.00 to any family who qualified. Immediately EJ called Betsy with the news and they applied for the grant. In November, The BraunAbility Corporation was offering another $1111.11 for any Military Veteran towards a purchase of a BraunAbility van to commemorate the special date of Veteran’s Day 11/11/2011.  

 Knowing Jack is a Vet, EJ called the family with the additional great news. The family came into the store and EJ helped them fill out the loan application for Braun Credit to cover the balance needed.  As the flurry of faxes and applications began, EJ enlisted the help of Carolina Mobility General Manager Pat Elliot to help him beat the fast approaching deadline 12-31-2011, when it would all come to an end. The dream would be lost. Pat got on the phone with The Ralph Braun Foundation, The Braun VA Grant Division and Braun Credit and relentlessly pressed for cooperation to make it all come together.

 Magically, on 12-24-2011, Christmas Eve it did, everything was approved and the family drove off in their 2011 Chrysler-Braun Town & Country as Santa was in the air, on his way to deliver things children and families had wished for. Perhaps they crossed paths, who knows? But in 2011, the real miracle for the family was The Ralph Braun Foundation. They made John Ross and the family believe that Christmas Miracles can come true.