| 1995 | Reverend Larry Hills, missionary in Zaire (now Congo), Africa, told Reverend Mel West of the great need for three-wheeled, hand-cranked wheelchairs for victims of polio and landmines. Mel contacted Earl Miner, product designer and long-time friend and mission partner; and the process of the prototype design began. |
| 1996 | When prototype development was ready for field testing, four were shipped to Larry Hills with the instructions to “put these in the worst place you can find, and see if they pass the test.” Larry did, and the PETs did. Shipments began to Zaire, where Larry had set up a place to receive the frames, put on the wooden beds, and distribute them. Later the operation moved to Zambia and is now PET Zambia at New Life Center, led by Delbert Groves, United Methodist Missionary, Kitwe, Zambia, Africa. |
| 1996 | Rodney Miner in Darby, Montana, began to build and ship PETs and steel frame parts mostly to Congo/Zaire, where they locally add the wooden bed and then distribute the finished PET. |
| 1997 | Bishop Machado of Mozambique saw the PET and requested a project there. Others did likewise. With limited funds and operating out of the West’s garage, and a room at Community United Methodist Church, the project grew. |
| 1998 | Tom Algiere, shop teacher, was sent by the United Methodist Church to Mozambique where he set up two PET production shops. |
| 2000 | Reverend Mel West set up a production, receiving and shipping facility in Columbia, Missouri USA. The PET Place facility receives parts made by volunteers and donated by businesses. Then the PETs are assembled and shipped to various areas of need around the world. |
| 2000 | Reverend Larry Hills set up a production shop in Penny Farms Retirement Center located in Penny Farms, Florida USA to focus on mobility needs in Haiti. |
| 2003 | Jake and Gwen Royall, members of First Christian Church, set up a production shop in Luling, Texas USA. Later moved to and known as PET TX-Brazos Valley. |
| 2004 | Over 1,000 PETs are produced and shipped from across the US. PET International is incorporated. New shops: PET TN – Murfreesboro PET FL – Tampa PET MO – Southwest |
| 2005 | PET NY – East Jewett PET WA – Spokane PET KS – Moundridge |
| 2006 | PET TX “ San Antonio |
| 2007 | PET IA – Hawarden |
| 2008 | PET ME – Waterboro PET FL – Jacksonville |
| 2009 | PET TX “ Austin PET MI – Holland |
| 2010
2011 |
PET TX “ Rio Grande Valley PET MI – East Michigan PET TN – Memphis Over 30,000 PETs from all sites have been produced to date. |
For an updated list, go to the Affiliates link at http://PETInternational.org/.