When I started hearing and seeing advertisements for the Tiny House Fest VT back in 2016, I couldn’t have been happier to learn that it was going to be taking place in Brattleboro, VT, just a few minutes from my new home and new life in Southern Vermont. Tickets were purchased and plans were made to attend. Among the tiny homes parked on the lot, available for touring, I did not expect to find WheelPad, but there Julie Lineberger was, eagerly explaining WheelPad to the steady stream of visitors that made their way up the ramp and into the space on that bright September day.
WheelPad shared space at Tiny House Fest VT with tiny home builders, educational organizations, resource manufacturers, and a handful of people living their best life in tiny houses (including a converted, absolutely adorable mini bus!). A Green Mountain College student project was showcased, along with the Yellow Barn’s Music Haul, a converted Uhaul truck that is a mobile concert venue.
The true gem of the festival, however, was Wheel Pad. As I waited in line to see the inside, the people in front of me were talking about how this was such a good idea, they wished they had thought of it. From what I could observe during the few hours I spent at the festival, walking around and touring the other tiny home models, many of the festival attendees were of retirement age, and interested in more cost-effective ways to enjoy their work-free years. Wheel Pad certainly can help elders age in place, near loved ones, and has the crucial lift track system that works with a Hoyer lift to help when getting out of bed becomes more complicated.
Once I made it inside Wheel Pad, I was able to hear the Wheel Pad story. Julie brought tears to my eyes and chills to my spine as she recounted Riley Poor’s accident and experience finding appropriate housing following his paralysis. If only there had been Wheel Pad back then! Julie explained the many applications that Wheel Pad has for people with mobility issues - those who have experienced paralyzing accidents, injured veterans returning home, those needing a wheelchair due to illness or injury, and for elders wanting to age in place. She spoke about the importance of family, and how Wheel Pad enables families to be together during what many may consider a trying time. Her voice full of compassion, it was clear that she was driven by a mission to help those who so clearly could use a helping hand in a difficult situation. And the fact that I remember this all so clearly as if it was yesterday only points to the strong impression that Wheel Pad made on me that day.
Fast forward to today, and I am now supporting Julie in carrying out Wheel Pad’s mission to provide accessible housing to people with mobility issues in a respectful and supportive manner. I asked her about her experience at Tiny House Fest VT the past two years, since we are gearing up to attend again on June 23rd and show off Wheel Pad 2.0.
Julie shared with me that pretty much everyone who attended the Tiny House Fest VT toured Wheel Pad, which is close to 5,000 people! They flew through the 500 flyers that Julie had brought with them, and had to send helpers out to get more printed, twice. There was a line up the ramp the whole day, and it took about 15 minutes to go through the line. Julie interprets this all to mean that people were very interested in seeing Wheel Pad and were committed to hearing about it. Many were very excited that there was an accessible option. Festival attendees approached Julie to offer donations to help injured service members obtain a Wheel Pad, and thanked her, repeatedly, for the great work she was doing creating Wheel Pad.
The model Julie had brought with her for the festival was the prototype, which was built at Norwich University by students led by Professor Edwin Schmeckpeper. Now known as the Norwich Model, this Wheel Pad is currently installed in Putney, Vermont. The Norwich Model features a frosted glass bathroom door on double hinges, so it swings both ways making it easier to open and close when you are in a wheelchair. The design emphasizes natural light and sustainable materials, with large windows and light wood paneling that mimics a mountain view. The light switches and outlets are all at 48 inches, easily reachable by someone in a wheelchair. The bathroom sink turns on and off with just a touch and the clear acrylic handrails are custom-made. The design is clean and bright and very un-institutional.
During the festival, Julie Lineberger and Joseph Cincotta, the principal architect of LineSync Architecture who designed Wheel Pad and who happens to also be Julie’s husband, gave a presentation in the tent about why Wheel Pad is needed. After they concluded, to strong applause, they were surprised by Sarah Launderville from the Vermont Center for Independent Living, who announced that LineSync Architecture had received the Ally of Accessibility Award for 2016.
The Tiny House Fest VT 2016 was a huge success, not only for the festival and for Brattleboro, but also for Wheel Pad. Interest was piqued, and Julie received several calls and email inquiries about Wheel Pad from people who had head about it through the festival.
Julie and Joseph decided to participate again in Tiny House Fest VT 2017, even though the Norwich Model had been installed and a new Wheel Pad had not yet been built, so they did not have a tangible model to show. Instead, they presented a video that described in detail the construction process and the purpose of Wheel Pad. Following the video presentation, they spoke for about 10 minutes about the sorts of refinements to take into consideration when designing an accessible tiny house, such as electrical outlet placement, doors, and window function. They reserved 10 minutes at the end of their talk for questions, which ran over time due to the strong interest in Wheel Pad.
Julie and I are excited to return to the Tiny House Festival VT on June 23, 2018, where Wheel Pad 2.0 will be on display. Julie and Joseph will also give a talk on the Story Stage at 11:30 am, explaining the refinements to Wheel Pad and the reasoning behind them. I hope to see you there!