GUEST POST BY: REBECCA LITCHFIELD
It is raining out and I am loading up the back of my Tahoe with almost 700 lbs of batteries. It is actually a beautiful thing. David Rosner (our solar/battery technician) and I are delivering a battery backup system to a family in need. This particular family needs to have access to electricity 24/7. This is not so their kids can play video games, or so they can still have access to Netflix; this is so their two girls with severe Cerebral Palsy can continue to live. These beautiful girls depend on feeding pumps, oxygen pumps and heart monitors to keep their bodies going. The parents depend on the electricity running through their home to keep the equipment going. When there is no electricity, it is not just panic that they feel – the feeling is truly heartbreaking. I have been working on this project for several months now, and it is finally ready to be installed. This is one of those times that makes me reflect on all the wonderful things in life, and how blessed not only I am, but how blessed we are as a community and as human beings. GOAL ZERO was founded on an idea that was given to one man. That man took that inspiration and made something tangible. That led to more and more ideas given to many more people and the final product of one of those ideas is going to save a life.
It never fails – whenever I am having a hard day, or when I feel like being a 5 year old and screaming – LIFE ISN’T FAIR!! The universe reminds me that I have the best job in the world. I get to work for a company that changes lives, and I get to see that change first hand. When Dave and I show up and start unloading our batteries, it isn’t the smile on Emma’s face that gets me – it is the relief in her eyes. The years of worry and concern for her sweet girls is wiped out in one look. I could literally see her shoulders relax and the weight being lifted off. In our office we call this our “why”. Why do we come to work every day, why do we stay up late looking for solutions to problems, why do we get up early and check our email to see what happened over night? THIS is why. Some of us may not ever see the results of our why, see that look and how it changes lives. But when we do – it is the best feeling in the world. All the hard work pays off in a split second. The power solution they received is very basic, but powerful. The main unit is our Yeti 1250 with 3 more raw batteries changed to it. This gives them 5,000 watts of power. The Yeti 1250 is a perfect solution. It gives them the ease of use with the integrated inverter and the display so they can see what is going on with their battery system. The other really cool aspect of this solution is with the Yeti, they can unplug the unit from the rest of the batteries and put it in their van. The family can now go on day trips and let the girls see and experience the world around them. Not only is the family set at home, they are free to go places they have never been able to go to before! Another thing we say in our office is – do good; get good. You can’t do good in this life without it coming back to you – usually in a way you don’t expect, but it is always in the way you need. The Leota family is doing good in this life, doing whatever it takes to provide a great life for the children they have. The good is coming back to them, and Dave and I are thankful to be part of just one piece of that good.