Thursday, July 26, 2007

Thanks and Acknowledgments

Preparations for this workshop have been underway since last October, and before it's time to pick up the wrenches and get busy converting, I want to thank the individuals, groups and institutions who have been instrumental in bringing the class to reality.

First, the forward-thinking faculty and administration of North Montco Technical Career Center, who embraced the idea of the course and generously provided the space for it to take place. I am particularly indebted to Bill Kirkpatrick and Bernie Wagenseller for their initial enthusiasm and support.


Bill, the automotive technology instructor at NMTCC, oversaw the "de-fossilizing" of the donor vehicle by his auto tech students and has already helped me solve a number of administrative problems in advance of the workshop. He will assist Mike Parker and serve as master mechanic during the class. His warm, steady,“can-do” attitude shines through everything he does.


Mike Ewall of the Energy Justice Network provided fiscal sponsorship, contacts, and ideas. He is profoundly ethical and frighteningly well-informed about environmental issues, and his rigorous insistence on the importance of renewable sources of electricity helped create “the wind-powered car.” Thanks also to Traci and Suzanne of EJN for administrative assistance.

This program was endorsed by the nonprofit organizations whose logos and links are displayed here. I particularly want to acknowledge MAREA and the Lehigh Valley Alliance for Sustainable Communities for publicizing the workshop.


The Morgan Hughes Homestead Bed & Breakfast offered a reduced rate which made housing Mike Parker convenient and affordable. A generous donation from Whole Foods Market in North Wales will allow us to feed workshop participants lunch daily. Andy Cleff and Chanin Walsh from Ampersand Design donated design services for the vehicle's graphic wrap (there will be a whole other blog entry devoted to that topic!). Chanin has given unstintingly of her time, creative energy, and advice, with more to come. I am deeply grateful.


Bob Batson of EVAmerica and Tim Ruth of Warehouse Battery Outlet provided the conversion kit and batteries respectively, and I thank them for answering all my questions and providing prompt and excellent service.


Lale Byers, Recycling Coordinator for the Bucks County Planning Commission, encouraged me to pursue the idea of a workshop and sent me leads for grants. John Dietter cheerfully shared data and advice on converting a Vanagon based on his experience with his students at North Haven Community School in Maine (you can read all about their solar-powered van here). Karin Wadsack helped launch the project and made me buy a whiteboard. My husband Matt Perkins donated a new set of tires, as well as a loving abundance of technical and moral support.


Finally, I would like to acknowledge the generosity of my father-in-law Tom Perkins, whose contributions helped to found and sustain Bucks County Renewables and whose genuine interest in what we do is the greatest gift of all.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Jenny - this is so cool! I had no ideas you guys were doing this. What will happen to the Vanagon once the conversion is complete? Do you guys get to keep it or does it belong to the group?

Can't wait to hear more.

Helen

jisaacs said...

Helen - The van will be used as a daily driver (meaning to the dojo!) and also taken to schools, fairs, and environmental events. It will debut at RiverFest in Frenchtown, NJ September 1 - 3, and also be showcased at the Pennsylvania Alternative Energy Festival in Kempton, PA September 21 - 23.

Anonymous said...

October 22, 2007
From: Mike Parker
1500 East Ave Apt #4
Turlock, Ca 95380
e-mail: mikeparker1940@yahoo.com

I want to thank Jenny Isaacs for all she has done this past summer of 2007 to bring commuter conversion electric car (and Van) technology to the Philadelphia area.
She has done an admirable job in bringing together the right and willing people to do the class.
It was a pleasure to travel to Philadelphia in the summer of 2007 to teach the C2EC2 class.
I am especially impressed by Jenny Isaac's ability to document the class on the blogspot e-vanagon.blogspot.com This documentation can be extremely helpful to persons anticipating teaching a class such as C2EC2 or anticipating to convert an ICE car from gasoline to ZEV electric.
You know, we EV enthusiasts stand on the shoulders of those hobbyists, inventors, and mechanics who came before us and showed us the way. In my lifetime, there have been two: Mike Brown of Electro Automotive in Felton, California, and Abran Quevedo (e-mail: quevedo@cox.net) of San Diego, California. Mike Brown and Shari Prange taught me (and others)the EV conversion class around 1994 at Felton, California. Abran Quevedo listened to my 45 minute C2EC2 presentation at a CITEA Conference (California Industrial Technology Educators Association) at San Jose State University in March 2005. A the end of the presentation, the 20 listeners were cheering for the concept of converting stick shift, compact cars to electric. Abran wrote me a letter soon after, inquiring if I would teach him how to convert. I agreed, and the result was the Summer 2005 C2EC2T thru Turlock Adult School in Turlock, California. Then came the Summer of 2006, when Abran and I co-taught C2EC2T in Encinitas, California. Then, a 3rd C2EC2 in Turlock was taught privately in April of 2007. Then the Philadelphia C2EC2 in the Summer of 2007. Abran taught 2 C2EC2's in San Diego in the Summer of 2007.
Thanks be to God for people of good will and the energy to carry on Mike Brown's initial work.
What say you, EV enthusiasts?
Regards,
Mike Parker

jisaacs said...

Thanks for the kind words, Mike.