THE STRESS POINT
March 2016 Volume 29, Number 1
Ronald McDonald House Charities Virtual Reality Reloaded
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A publication of
WHEN VEHICLE SAFETY WENT SOFT A Short History of Vehicle Safety Systems
a
Message from the President
Dear Friends, When the moment of loss arrives, whether in the form of damage to property, loss of health, injury, or worse, what happens next influences integrity. The response to loss influences the integrity of families and communities as they are supported in their efforts to cope with and recover from loss. This issue of The Stress Point presents an article on The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). In seeking to provide tangible assistance to the families of children who are seriously ill, RMHC supports families in their effort "to be whole and undivided," one definition of integrity. Those who assist others in need demonstrate another definition of integrity. "Being honest and having strong moral principles" elicits a call to act on the behalf of others. As one of the mothers assisted by RMHC shares, "We could never pay them back for all they have done for us." In life, some debt must be paid forward instead. As our work often finds us striving in the aftermath of loss, the extent to which we support the integrity of others is one measure of our own integrity. May we all be comfortable with what this measure says about us.
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Until next time,
Mark D. Russell, Ph.D., P.E. President and Chief Engineer
March 2016
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Engineering Design & Testing Corp. is an association of engineers committed to the study, interpretation and resolution of loss.
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March 2016 Volume 29, Number 1
THE STRESS POINT
THE STRESS POINT is published by Engineering Design & Testing Corp. Post Office Box 8027 Columbia, South Carolina 29202 1-800-338-5227.
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March 2016 Volume 29, Number 1
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FEATURE 8-11 When Vehicle Safety Went Soft A Short History of Vehicle Safety Systems
Corporate Contacts Mark D. Russell, Ph.D., P.E. President and Chief Engineer (803) 796-6975 mrussell@edtengineers.com Tim A. Jur, Ph.D., P.E. Associate Chief Engineer (803) 791-8800 tajur@edtengineers.com Laura J. Friendly, CPA Business Manager (803) 796-6975 lfriendly@edtengineers.com
Editor Sharon J. Adkins (803) 796-6975 sadkins@edtengineers.com Design and Layout Robert J. McCarter (803) 796-6975 rmccarter@edtengineers.com
On the cover: Even back seat drivers can show some occupant restraint
IN THIS ISSUE
DEPARTMENTS
12-15 Ronald McDonald House Charities A Welcome "Home"
2 A Message from the President 4-5
Fulcrum
6-7
Just the Facts Virtual Reality - Reloaded
16
Long Story Short
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FFULCRUM ULCRUM
study, interpretation and resolution “Give me a fulcrum and a place on which to stand, and I will move the world.” —Archimedes, Greek Inventor and Mathematician
Lather by the Liter
T
Images courtesy of Hydrao
he Hydrao Smart Shower uses LED lights to notify conscientious bathers of the volume of water used. Green light shines when 10 liters have been used. Orange light shines at 30 liters. At 50 liters, Hydrao will begin flashing red. The showerhead is designed to fasten to a standard shower head connection. Smartphone apps can adjust settings such as water volume, colors, and bather profiles. Also, track savings on both money and water. Visit www.hydrao.fr/en/ for more information.
I'm Up! I'm Up!
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or those who struggle with getting out of the bed in the morning, a new product has been developed to sabotage the “snooze.” The Ruggie™ Alarm Clock is a soft mat equipped with a digital clock display, built-in speakers, and touch sensors to detect those critical first steps. The alarm turns “off” by stepping on the mat for at least 3 seconds. Owners can also customize the device to emit quotes to set the tone for the day. Visit www.ruggie.co/ for more information.
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Resolution
study, interpretation and resolution
Smooth Operator
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or clothes that don’t travel well, the Jiffy® hand-held steamer may be a worthwhile accessory to pack in the suitcase. The lightweight steamer heats in less than a minute and remains heated for 15 minutes, allowing sufficient time to smooth multiple pieces of clothing. The steamer retails for $75, and can be purchased at www.jiffysteamer. com or many online retailers.
Image courtesy of Jiff y® Steamer Company, LLC
Shine On
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olartab provides a sleek and portable way to keep devices charged nearly anywhere the sun shines. From a distance, what appears to resemble a tablet is actually a portable solar panel equipped with a high-capacity internal battery that harnesses the sun’s energy. The device comes with two USB ports and one micro USB port, making it compatible with any mobile device. Selling for $129, visit www.mysolartab.com to order or learn more.
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Images courtesy of Solartab Limited
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Just the Facts
Virtual Reality Reloaded Although the concept of virtual reality (VR) has been around for decades, headsets incorporating this technology only first made an appearance in the late 1980s and 1990s. Back then, companies such as Sega and Nintendo each released their own version of a VR headset. Unable to meet user expectations, these gaming devices were discontinued. Having warmed up to advancements in computer technology, virtual reality is now coming out of hibernation. In 2012, OculusVR was founded with hopes of releasing a VR headset that would revive the market. OculusVR launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2012 and raised $1 million in three days. OculusVR released several developer kits and prototypes over the next few years, allowing game developers an opportunity to integrate their products into virtual reality devices. In March of 2014, Facebook acquired OculusVR. Images courtesy of Oculus VR, LLC
Oculus Rift - Will sell for $599 and will begin shipping on March 28, 2016 6 The Stress Point
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How it Works Oculus’ Rift product is a virtual reality headset. The headset is connected to a personal computer running Microsoft Windows 7 or newer and having a capable graphics card, at least 8GB of RAM, HDMI video output at 1.3, and several USB ports. The headset consists of one OLED panel for each eye, with each panel having a high refresh rate to reduce motion blur. A built-in tracking system known as Constellation improves accuracy and reduces lag time during movement. Other accessories are on the horizon, including an Xbox One controller, the Oculus Remote, built-in headphones and microphone, and hand sensors. Even though initial accessories are geared towards gaming, apps are being developed to allow users to watch movies and short films, and even stream live sporting events. Social apps and apps designed by architecture firms are exploring ways in which virtual reality experiences might benefit other interests. Future endeavors are also expected to include the use of headsets for various therapies, and training and education.
Competition OculusVR is not alone in the VR market. Notable competitors include Sony and their Project Morpheus headset, HTC with HTC Vive, and Google’s Cardboard version designed for do-it-yourselfers.
Image courtesy of HTC Corporation
Image courtesy of HTC Corporation
HTC Vive Controller
Image courtesy of Getty Images
HTC Vive - Will sell for $799 and appears on shelves in April 2016
Google Cardboard sells for around $20 Engineering Design & Testing Corp.
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WHEN VEHICLE SAFETY WENT SOFT A Short History of Vehicle Safety Systems
by James I. Middleton, Jr., M.E., P.E. Columbia District Office jmiddleton@edtengineers.com
"They don't build things like they used to." How many times has this been said in angst about the changing world around us? Well, when it comes to automobiles, this remark may be more of a compliment than a frustration.
or hits it. The second involves the collision of the occupant with the interior structures of a vehicle. As one might imagine, reducing the magnitude of the second collision was a driving force in the development of most occupant safety systems.
From the advent of automobiles up until the 1950s, most were built from steel: metal dashes, solid steering columns, and steel body panels. When vehicles collided, as the ever increasing number of automobiles on the road would indicate to be inevitable, nothing in the way of restraints kept occupants from bouncing around. Occupants would become injured, or worse. Meanwhile, the automobile often came out looking just fine. What happened next and as covered in this article is the trial and error process of developing, designing, and building automobiles with an emphasis on occupant safety and survivability.
Efforts in this regard involved the installation of padding on interior components, such as the dash. This padding typically consisted of ¼ to ½ inch of foam padding covered by plastic. The premise: If an occupant is not restrained when the first collision takes place, the dash is the likely stopping point. For example, if a vehicle is traveling at 35 mph and gets stopped in a collision, the unrestrained occupant will impact the dash at about 35 mph. Although a first step, foam padding on the dash offered little to cushion the collision of the occupants with the interior of the vehicle.
While there are many aspects concerning the overall occupant protection system—including safety glass—not all of these will be discussed. Rather, the focus here is on major safety devices identifiable to us all.
CRASH COUNTING: 1, 2,… 3? Early on, engineers concluded that two collisions took place during a vehicle accident. The first of these collisions is obvious: the collision between a vehicle and whatever it hits 8 The Stress Point
Since padded dashes were not helping to reduce traffic fatalities, engineers focused on preventing occupant movement during and following the “first collision.” The first of these preventative measures was the seatbelt. A seatbelt consisting of straps anchored to the body of the vehicle was mandated for installation in vehicles in 1968. Initial belt design consisted of a lap belt that restrained the lower body of an occupant, but not the upper torso. As a result and during a collision, the lower body was slowed by the belt attached to the vehicle, while the upper body would continue its forward movement. Injuries brought on by this disparity in movements resulted in the identification of a third collision involving the occupant’s
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internal vital organs impacting within the body cavity after the body was slowed substantially or stopped. Accepting that this third collision concept was seriously injurious to an occupant, future approaches sought to mitigate the effects of third collisions. Restraining belts would now incorporate a shoulder belt that crossed the occupant’s torso at an angle to restrain upper body movement during a collision. Known as a three-point belt installation, this design was initially installed on the left and right of the vehicle, with center seats having the lap belt only. However, vast differences in injury rates between lap belt only and three-point belts led to three-point belt installations being mandated for all seat locations. For drivers, another hazard within the vehicle was the steering column. This rigid, hard-mounted structure with a steering wheel attached to the end would impale a driver as the driver traveled forward following the first collision. Plus, a secondary hazard during a collision involved the forceable rearward movement of the steering column into the driver during the first collision and prior to the movement of the driver. Original attempts to address this problem involved the installation of a safety steering wheel with spokes that would flex and bend while the column remained fixed. As with dash padding, this solution was limited at best. A second, more complete solution was mandated for installation in vehicles, once again in 1968. Known as the collapsible steering column, this steering column collapsed toward the dash rather than impaling the driver. In addition, the column would also collapse if forced rearward into the driver. Engineering Design & Testing Corp.
As a result of government mandates and an increased prevalence of these and other vehicle safety improvements, 1972 was the high water mark for traffic fatalities in the United States with 54,589 fatalities (26 fatalities per 100,000 of the population). From this point, the trend begins to slope downward.
QUAQUAVERSALLY: IN ALL DIRECTIONS Vehicles and their occupants traveling down a roadway have a given amount of energy based upon their mass (weight/ gravity) and their velocity (speed with direction). If vehicle design could influence how this energy is dissipated and the length of time in which this dissipation takes place, then an opportunity exists for occupant injuries to be reduced. Better yet, if the dissipating energy could be confined to the vehicle and not transferred to the occupant, the opportunity to reduce injury to the occupant would be greater still. Last, but not least, if the length of time it takes for the remaining energy to dissipate is increased, then the remaining forces that could injure an occupant would be reduced even more. Prior to the 1960s, the primary design philosophy was to make a vehicle body rigid. Although this rigidity limited vehicle body damage during a collision, collision forces were unfortunately distributed to the occupant(s).
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study, interpretation and resolution the development process took a while. The first airbags did not see widespread implementation until the late 1980s and into the 1990s.
Beginning in the 1960s and continuing into the 1980s, vehicle body design entertained the idea of a “crumple zone.” By deforming prescribed components as a means for distributing the energy of a collision, crumple zones reduced the amount of energy transferred to an occupant. Also, crumple zones increased the time over which the collision took place, thereby reducing the forces transferred to the occupant. Along with crumple zones, there also came into being the now standard concept of the “safety cell.” In a vehicle, the safety cell is considered to be the occupant compartment. Modern design techniques seek to limit intrusion into or to control deformation to this area of the vehicle during a collision. Occupant compartment design is now not so much rigid as it is robust. The objective is to allow deformation in ways that maintain the integrity of the safety cell while preventing compromising intrusion into the safety cell. Putting all this together, crumple zones and the safety cell design philosophies say a lot about why modern vehicles sustain damage the way they do.
A i r b a g s f u n c t i o n by t h e oxidation of a propellant that produces nitrogen gas to inflate and operate the bag. Initial designs consisted of a single propellant charge that produced the same amount of inflation, no matter the circumstances of the collision. If the airbag deployed, it deployed fully and with the same force every time. Modern airbags now feature a multiple stage airbag whose deployment is more tailored to the circumstances of a collision. Airbag deployment criteria have also changed since airbags were first introduced. Originally, impacts over a certain magnitude caused a single stage airbag to deploy. Newer vehicles utilize airbags mounted throughout the vehicle— in the front, along the roof line, as well as in the sides and seat—to protect against impacts from multiple directions. Modern designs also include accelerometers mounted near the occupants to monitor for impacts from all directions, with additional sensors located along the vehicle’s perimeter. Sensors detect such data as occupant position and size to further tailor airbag deployment to a specific occupant, or even to not deploy an airbag if an occupant is not present. Modern systems also monitor occupant seatbelt status and affect seatbelt retraction to further position an occupant for best protection during a collision. Some of these sensing systems contain data that provides a snapshot of the operating conditions of a vehicle at the time of a collision.
NITROGEN FILL, PLEASE In the 1980s, airbags were introduced as another method for reducing occupant injuries. An airbag would slow down the occupant and extend the time over which the occupant’s energy was dissipated. Airbags are designed for rapid deploy while not interfering with a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle. Nevertheless, for an airbag to serve its purpose, it has to get in the way. In addition, an obvious requirement is to prevent inadvertent airbag deployment, such as when driving a vehicle over the inevitable pothole. As a result of these somewhat conflicting goals, 10 The Stress Point
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A LITTLE HELP HERE Engineers have long known that a tire that was 100% sliding could not be controlled or re-directed. In fact, automotive engineers know that a tire slipping at around 30% is experiencing the best deceleration and control performance. The advent of the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) improved control and braking performance. ABS systems monitor when a wheel or axle is rotating during braking. Upon detecting that a wheel has stopped rotating, the system modulates (pulses) the brake line pressure to allow the wheel to rotate while continuing to apply braking force. Early ABS units served only to modulate a single axle of the vehicle. These systems can now detect the rotation of each individual wheel, as well as brake pressure applied by the driver. In other words, ABS senses both the mechanical braking and the driver’s braking effort. Since the turn of the new century, vehicle systems are not only passively monitoring what a vehicle is doing, but also actively assisting a driver in maintaining control of a vehicle. A vehicle purchased today now has many sensors that both monitor the vehicle’s performance along with the driver’s behavior. Accelerator and brake pedal sensors, as well as steering wheel angle measurements, are used to evaluate what the driver is directing the vehicle to do. Wheel speed sensors, accelerometers, as well as yaw and roll rate sensors, determine how the vehicle is responding to driver inputs. If the system detects that a vehicle is not behaving as directed (i.e. out of control), the systems will respond or adjust individual wheel brake application to assist the driver in reestablishing control. In most cases, given the speeds at which these systems operate, the driver is unaware that a loss of control (and that a little electronic assistance) has even taken place.
ANYONE FOR SECONDS? It is amazing that sixty years of vehicle safety improvements are realized in the fractions of a second of a collision. Although there is never-ending effort to seek improvement, vehicles today are the safest they have ever been. In 2013, the number of traffic-related fatalities was 32,719, a figure that has not been seen since the early 1950s, and when the number of automobiles on the road was much less. It so happens, however, that this figure has been stagnant since 2009. The concern here is that occupants have become complacent with the safety systems now in place. A final interesting statistic: If vehicle fatalities as a percentage of the population are considered, the percentage of fatalities today is the lowest it has been since 1919.
WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON What’s ahead for vehicle safety? As we move forward, driver distraction has entered the picture as a factor now being addressed as the cause of many accidents. Vehicle safety systems are beginning to assist the driver in situational awareness. Features include proximity warnings to alert a driver if another vehicle is near but obscured. Another will warn of lane departure. There are also systems that will actively brake a vehicle to prevent a rear end collision. Many of these alert systems are now a regular feature in vehicle advertisements, and rightly so.
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BEYOND THE BYLINE:
JAMES I. MIDDLETON, JR., M.E., P.E.
March 2016
Jim Middleton recently launched another driver onto the road: his older daughter. Her ride is his old Ford F-150 pickup with four-wheel drive. “Mass has its advantages.” And, if his article on vehicle safety is any indication, so do many of the safety features found on newer model automobiles.
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Ronald McDonald House Charities – A Welcome “Home” Special thank to Jessica Albert and the RMHC of Columbia, SC for contributing to this article.
On Eagles’ Wings
The year was 1969. Parents Fred and Fran Hill received news that their 3-year-old daughter, Kim, had acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). At the time, the prognosis for a child with this type of blood cancer was six months. Image courtesy of Ronald McDonald House Charities
For the next 3½ years, Kim endured chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Her parents, now focused on a mission to provide hope for Kim, as well as other children battling leukemia, turned to their friends for support. Among those within this “community” were Fred Hill’s teammates, the Philadelphia Eagles. Eagles general manager, Jim Murray, also negotiated with local McDonald’s franchises to raise funds. The Eagles quarterback, Roman Gabriel, would promote McDonald’s “Shamrock Shake.” A share of the profits would be donated toward the purchase of a house where families of young patients receiving treatment at the Philadelphia Children’s Hospital could stay. The McDonald’s franchises would have the naming rights of the House. The first Ronald McDonald House opened its doors in Philadelphia in October 1974. What a difference research makes. According to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (started in 1949 by parents who lost a son to leukemia), the five-year survival rate for a child younger than 5 diagnosed with ALL has gone from a dismal14 percent to a now 93 percent.
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Ronald McDonald House Dallas - The Great Room Images courtesy of Ronald McDonald House Charities
Taiwan RMH-garden And what a difference family makes. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) now supports 353 houses in 38 countries and regions, providing the proverbial “home away from home” for families of children receiving treatment at nearby medical facilities. Drawing on the connection between health and children, RMHC programs have evolved to include family rooms within hospitals, mobile care vehicles, and scholarship programs.
Ronald McDonald House Program Perhaps the most familiar of the RMHC programs are the houses themselves. A Ronald McDonald House offers a place where families can stay, eat, and sleep—at little or no cost—for days, weeks, or even months at a time while a child receives treatment for an illness or injury. A key benefit of a Ronald McDonald House is that it offers living arrangements to families who travel long distances to receive care for their child. Less time and energy (and money) spent by parents on the logistics of running their own home or arranging for lodging means more time spent on the physical and emotional needs of the family. Other attributes of staying at a Ronald McDonald House include an enhanced hospital experience for the child and their family, improvement in family coping and cohesion, and better recovery and outcomes for the child. Each House offers private bedrooms, home-cooked meals, play areas, and a network of support from the staff, volunteers, and other families going through similar experiences. Some also include accredited educational programs, recreational activities, non-clinical support services, and sibling support services. Families, if financially able, make a donation of up to $25 per night.
Ronald McDonald Family Rooms Ronald McDonald Family Rooms are located within a hospital and offer a place of retreat and respite just down the hall from where treatment is happening. Much like a furnished apartment, family rooms often Engineering Design & Testing Corp.
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Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles
Photo courtesy of McDonald House Charity Bank by Brian Katt, Framingham, MA
include a kitchen area, showers, sleeping rooms, internet access, reference materials, televisions, and even a room for quiet time. The Family Room is perhaps the only place in a hospital where families and children can escape the doctors, treatments, and crowded waiting rooms to rest and recharge.
Where Ronald McDonald Houses and Family Rooms serve the needs of children receiving acute care, RMHC also supports medical and dental care for children, including screenings and treatment, In addition to grants, these boxes are a and referrals if necessary. Ronald McDonald Care major fundraiser for RMHC Mobiles travel to areas of identified need, and are appropriately equipped depending on the service: medical, dental, nutrition counseling, prenatal care for teens, care for special needs children, ophthalmology, and much more. There are currently 50 Care Mobiles in 9 countries and regions.
Harrison
“We enjoyed the company of the other families staying at the House. We are all going through similar situations and it is nice to have people to chat with who understand how we feel,” Dawn said. “Having a child in the NICU is something that no one else can truly understand except for another NICU parent.” The Harrison family has been at the Ronald McDonald House for over 50 days so far, watching him grow and develop every step of the way.
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Image courtesy of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Columbia, South Carolina
Over 350 families walk through the doors of the Ronald McDonald House of Columbia, SC each year. The current eight-bedroom house primarily serves families with premature babies seeking treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). “Staying at the Ronald McDonald House has allowed us to be very hands on and involved with our son, Harrison’s care. We are able to be there for his diaper changes, bath time and feedings that we would miss out on if we had to travel back and forth from the hospital. Just knowing that we could be at the hospital in five minutes in case anything went wrong gave us peace of mind. The House gave us so much more than just a place to rest, shower and eat. It has all the comforts of home,” said Dawn, Harrison’s mother.
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study, interpretation and resolution Image courtesy of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Columbia, South Carolina
Olivia Unfortunately, due to the size of the current House, RMHC of Columbia, SC was forced to turn away 167 families in their time of need. A new 16 bedroom, 15,500 square foot facility is scheduled to be completed in June of 2016. (To stay up to date on the progress, visit www.rmhcofcolumbia. org.) Families continue to return to the house when their child has follow up appointments. “We were treated like family from day one by the staff members that quickly became our friends. Staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Columbia gave us a home away from home during a very difficult time in our lives when our daughter was not expected to make it,” said Rachel, Olivia’s mother.
“Olivia is now five years old and is doing better than doctors ever expected. We live over 40 miles away so if we were not able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House, we would have only been able to see Olivia on the weekends or when there were complications. We are so grateful that we were able to be there to bond with our little girl, and talk with her doctors and nurses every day. The Ronald McDonald House provided comfort and support, providing us with a place to stay and providing dinner and snacks. Over the years we have continued a relationship with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Columbia, SC by collecting pop tabs and getting our church involved for different things. We wish we could help more because we could never pay them back for all they have done for us!”
RMHC U.S. Scholarship Program Another mission identified by RMHC is the financial need of youths who desire to attend college. The RMHC scholarship program is offered in the United States to high school seniors. The application includes an essay. Financial need, community involvement, and academic achievement are also considered. Most local chapters award a minimum of $1,000 for local students to pursue their aspirations for higher education.
The Human Spirit Throughout the world there are so many examples of people helping and supporting the wellbeing of others. RMHC is but one example, but one offering considerable inspiration. Such is the real human spirit, of which everyone can appreciate and in which everyone should be proud. For more information, visit www.rmhc.org.
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