Each week John meets up with a member of the PACTT staff, and together they gear up for departure.   Where will it be this week?  Maybe a visit to a fire department in California?  Last week it was a tour of an Air Force Base in Germany.  The possibilities are virtually limitless, and John doesn’t even have to pack a bag, buy a ticket, or stand in a line. 

John has been meeting with staff from ABC's PACTT Program on a weekly basis since February of 2006. Together, John and his fellow explorers have traveled all over the world right from a computer terminal at ABC – through the World Wide Web!  John’s passion for Air Force bases, airplanes, fire trucks, and trains have provided the starting point for these weekly trips, but his experiences through these explorations have led him to expand his knowledge and interests.

These meetings with the staff from PACTT have become a highlight of John’s week.  They enable him to immerse himself in subjects he enjoys knowing and learning more about.  The excitement that John expresses when he finds a rare or new fire crash truck is remarkable.  He will clap, laugh, and even dance at the joy of the newest discovery.  “While meeting with John, I learned about new fire stations being built around the United States, when Amtrak departs Winona and arrives in Chicago, and the type of airplane he flew in when traveling from Minnesota to Arizona to visit his brother”, said PACTT Program Manager Rachel Weitzel, who has worked with John since he began his virtual journey.

John’s weekly meetings have led to an improvement of his overall ability to use the personal computer to do some of the wonderful things it was designed to do, like keep in-touch with his brother via email, view and print travel itineraries, and more. It is individuals like John who benefit tremendously from the PACTT program. John can explore the world beyond Rochester Minnesota inexpensively and safely.   The PACTT program strives to improve access to technology for people like John. PACTT offers assessments, classes, workshops, presentations, assistive-technology products and devices, and more.  If you or someone you know would benefit from one of our services or would like more information about PACTT go to www.abc-pactt.org or call 507-535-7101.

Comments, Questions, or Story Ideas

John loves learnign about the Blue Angels - right from his computer!

One of John's favorite subjects is
fire trucks, like this Crash Truck