我一年到头都是圣诞老人

Being disabled does not have to be a disadvantage. Thats the old saying anyway. And some people in Cincinnati want to live up to it. Their group is called May We Help. Handymen， technicians and engineers volunteer to make devices that help people with disabilities do things that others take for granted.

Bill Sand loves to spend time in his basement. He calls it his “man cave，” but theres no big screen TV， sound system or beer cooler here. Just power tools and whatever else he needs to build things. This 66-year-old is like a lot of guys who tinker. But heres where Bills a bit different. He designs and builds devices for people with disabilities， and he does it for free.

Bill： These are gifts that are special， that are lifechanging.

Here in his home workshop， Bill has made a custom scooter for a little girl who cant walk， and cello stands for sisters， even though they dont have arms. Twelve-year-old Inga and 10-year-old Ylena Elena Petry of Pennsylvania play with their feet. Their mom， Jennifer， says the girls used to prop their instruments on pillows on the floor. But that didnt really work out.

Jennifer Petry： We needed something to keep the cellos steady.

Inga Petry： When my mom told me that we were gonna get something so that my cello wouldnt wobble， I was really happy because I would be able to play it better.

The Petrys are just one of the families Bill has helped pursue their dreams. Hes made several oneof-a-kind devices for nine-year-old Ireland Reed. She has a rare genetic condition called Millers Syndrome. She needs a special walker just to stand. Bill has become a regular visitor to Irelands home in suburban Cincinnati.

Bill： Hello， Amy.

Amy Reed： Hello， Bill. How are you？

Bill： Good.

Amy： Ireland， its Bill.

Ireland is excited to see Bill， and she rolls over to him on the scooter he made for her. The family calls it her “shamrock express.” Its given her mobility shed never had before. Irelands mom， Amy， calls Bill a godsend.

Amy： Its like， how do you know？ Bill， how do you know what we need when we dont even know what we need？

During this visit， Amy says Ireland is having trouble writing with her partially formed hand. Bill crouches so he can watch carefully as the child tries to hold a pencil. He puts his hand gently around hers， thinking about what he can do to help. He brainstorms with Amy about what he might come up with， but says even a simple solution might take five or six tries.

Bill： See， Im thinking of something thatll glide real easy， that her hand is actually sitting on. Kind of like a mouse.

Amy： We cant thank him enough. I cant find the words to really tell you how its helped us and helped Ireland.

Bill Sand has done dozens of projects for families like the Reeds and Petrys.

Bill： I get to be Santa all year round. You know， every time I do a project， its like Christmas all over.

The group May We Help is hoping to expand beyond its roots in the Midwest. Theyre talking about setting up a chapter in Florida and hope it will be the start to help millions of children and adults pursue their passions despite their disabilities.

身體有残疾并不一定是劣势。但不管怎样，这确是一句老话。而在美国中部城市辛辛那提，有些人身体力行，将它付诸实践。他们建立了一个名叫“我们能帮你吗”的志愿者社团，成员里有能工巧匠、技师和工程师，他们自愿制造一些设备，帮助残疾人去做一些健全人认为再平常不过的事。

比尔·桑德喜欢花时间待在家里的地下室，他称那是“男人的窝”。但那里没有大屏幕电视，没有音响系统，也没有啤酒冷藏箱，有的只是电动工具和他干活所需的东西。他今年66岁，跟众多男人相似，喜欢敲敲打打，但有一点不同的是：他设计及制作助残器具，而且是免费的。

比尔：这些是特殊的礼物，可以改变他们的生活。

在自己家的工作间里，比尔为一个不能走路的小姑娘造了一辆特制的滑板车，又为一对没有手臂的小姐妹造了大提琴支架。12岁的英嘉和10岁的艾琳娜·佩特里住在宾夕法尼亚州，她们用脚演奏大提琴。她们的母亲珍妮弗说，两个女孩以前将枕头放在地上用来支撑乐器，但那不能真正解决问题。

珍妮弗·佩特里：我们需要能固定大提琴的东西。

英嘉·佩特里：妈妈告诉我，我们会有一个使我的大提琴不会摇晃的东西，我知道后真的很高兴，因为这样我就可以演奏得更好。

比尔曾经帮助过许多家庭追求梦想，佩特里家只不过是其中之一。他还为9岁的艾尔兰·瑞德制作了好几件独一无二的器具，她得了一种名为米勒综合征的罕见遗传病，需要一个特制的助行器才能站起来。艾尔兰家在辛辛那提市郊区，比尔成了这家的常客。

比尔：你好，艾米。

艾米·瑞德：比尔，你好吗？

比尔：好。

艾米：艾尔兰，比尔来了。

艾尔兰见到比尔很兴奋，她用比尔为她做的滑板车向他滑过去。家人称这滑板是她的“三叶草快车”，它使艾尔兰获得了前所未有的移动能力。艾尔兰的妈妈艾米称比尔是天赐的贵人。

艾米：这真是不可思议，你是怎么知道的？比尔，连我们自己都不知道需要什么，你怎么会知道我们要什么呢？

在这次探访过程中，艾米说艾尔兰残缺的手写字时有困难。在孩子试图握紧铅笔时，比尔蹲下来仔细地观察，他用手轻柔地握住她的手，想着怎样才能帮助她。他与艾米讨论着他脑海中出现的想法，不过他说即使是简单的方案，也需要试验五、六次。

比尔：你瞧，我在想做一个能很方便地滑动的东西，她的手放在上面就行了，类似鼠标。

艾米：我们对他真是感激不尽，我找不到合适的词来告诉你，他做的一切对我们和对艾尔兰有多么大的帮助。

比尔·桑德已为类似瑞德及佩特里这样的家庭做了几十个项目。

比尔：我一年到头都可以当圣诞老人，你知道吗，每次我完成一个项目，感觉就像过圣诞节一样。

“我们能帮你吗”社团希望从他们在美国中西部的发起地向外发展扩大，他们计划在佛罗里达州设一个分会，希望能以此帮助千百万小孩子和成年人，使他们克服残疾，追求梦想。