Just a few days before Thanksgiving, Congresswomen Becca Balint, one of two representatives from Vermont, visited with Julie Linberger and Joseph Cincotta, the founders of WheelPad, at their offices and toured the facilities in Wilmington, Vermont. During the visit, Julie, Joseph, and WheelPad staff showed the progress towards a local manufacturing facility, the successes they've had with WheelPad users across the country, and what's they have in store for the future, including a local labor program.
The story was originally covered by the Deerfield Valley News.
Read excerpts from the article below:
WILMINGTON - Rep. Becca Balint was in town on Monday to visit WheelPad L3C, which is in the process of building out its headquarters at 211 Route 9 West, a property formerly occupied by GS Precision and, later, WW Building Supply.
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The tour also included a visit to the factory, where Cincotta has designed radiant-heat flooring made of local hemlock. The idea came from Lineberger and Luella Strattner, WheelPad’s chief of staff. “Concrete floors are horrible for the people who have to work on them,” said Lineberger. . . Cincotta noted that the overall costs for the wooden floor have been lower than concrete, and its carbon footprint is lower, too, as minimal concrete-related materials are being used. Balint commended the flooring as an example of being employee-focused. “What a great story to get out to other employers about how to take care of your employees,” said Balint. “Build a better floor.”
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The tour also included exterior peeks at what will be WheelPad’s offices, which will house another vision of Lineberger and Cincotta’s: a local labor program, which will be named after the late Josh Druke, a member of the Druke family, which owns WW Building Supply and currently owns the land at 211 West Main Street. . . “Carpenter helpers, plumber helpers, electrician helpers, and caregivers,” said Lineberger.
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While touring the facility and hearing about the impact WheelPad has had on the people who have used it, Balint remarked about the importance of the work Lineberger and Cincotta are doing, in concert with their WheelPad staff. “You’re literally changing lives,” said Balint.
Photo featured at the top of this post was taken by Lauren Harkawik