At BraunAbility, we’ve always held the theory that our customers are just a little more innovative and intelligent than your average consumer. That theory was proven when Rod Siebert of Siebert Mobility in Iowa City passed along this photo of a loyal customer’s Entervan with the phrase “Praise the Lowered” spelled out above the license plate.

Needless to say, we thought the play on words was pretty clever, and to be honest, we were a little bummed we hadn’t thought of it ourselves!  We knew we had to get in touch with the customer who came up with the phrase.

Those customers were Ruth Egland and Rita Noe of Keokuk, Iowa. Ruth has been a paraplegic since she was 23 years old when a car she was working beneath fell on top of her. That accident happened in 1963, and it wasn’t until 1995 that she bought her first Entervan. As the back of her van suggests, she’s been hooked ever since.

Ruth doesn’t actually take credit for the phrase. She and Rita saw it on the back of a “low-rider” pick-up truck while on vacation in the Southwest (not only are our customers clever, but they’re humble too!). They thought it was a fitting slogan for the wheelchair van that has helped Ruth navigate along her career paths as a middle school teacher and guidance counselor for 23 years, a counselor at a mental institution, and most recently, working with Rita at their graphic design business.

Today she is a retiree, which she describes as “the best job I’ve never had.”  Now that she’s retired, she has a “bucket list” of activities to start crossing off - the last one was a hot-air balloon ride across the Iowa countryside!

It’s always a pleasure to talk with loyal customers like Ruth - especially when they have such a great sense of humor. If you have a customer story to share with us, please leave a comment below!  We’d love to get to know some more funny and clever customers like Ruth - we know you’re out there!

Tags: Wheelchair Vans

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