QUANG TRI PROVINCE – For the past 12 years, the phrase “Unlimited Possibilities” has meant more than just a name to the people of Quang Tri; it has meant roofs for the elderly, cows for farmers, and now, brighter homes for the blind and disabled.
From December 16–18, 2025, long-time supporters Bill Cuff, Joyce Cuff, and Ed Burnazzani returned to the province to mark the 12th anniversary of the Unlimited Possibilities (UP) partnership with Project RENEW. First established in January 2013, this partnership has evolved into a deep connection between the American donors and the local community.
The three-day mission this December focused on improving infrastructure for the most vulnerable, starting in the city and ending in the rural countryside.
Day 1: Sweat Equity in Dong Ha
The mission kicked off on Tuesday, December 16, at the Dong Ha Charity Cooperative for the Blind. Here, visually impaired residents work with dignity, producing toothpicks, incense, and brooms to earn a livelihood.
To improve their work environment, Bill, Joyce, and Ed spent the entire day painting the walls of the production workshop.
Rolling up their sleeves: The team revitalizes the workshop at the Blind Cooperative with a fresh coat of green paint.
The group worked with such focus—determined to finish the job for the blind workers—that they worked straight through, delaying lunch until late afternoon. The result is a clean, revitalized workspace that boosts morale for the cooperative members.
Day 2: Better Care Conditions in Gio Linh
On Wednesday, the group traveled north to the Gio Linh Rehabilitation Center for the Disabled. To assist the staff in providing better care, the donors helped install new plastic wall partitions.
Precision work: UP members assist a local worker in measuring and cutting the clean white plastic panels.
These upgrades provide better insulation and a more hygienic environment for the children undergoing rehabilitation. The group was welcomed by the center’s leadership, including Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hao, the Center Vice Manager.
Partners in progress: (L-R) Joyce, Bill, Center Manager Mr. Hao, and Ed stand together in front of the newly completed walls. Mr. Hao, who lost both arms in a UXO accident in 1984, continues to serve the community by managing this vital facility for children.
Day 3: Shelter and Smiles in Nam Hai Lang
The trip concluded on Thursday with a critical construction project in Dong Son Village of Nam Hai Lang Commune. The team visited Ms. Le Thi Men and her mother, Ms. Truong Thi Thu. Both women are blind and had been living under a deteriorated back roof that leaked severely during the rainy season.
UP members carry the new, long green roofing sheets to replace the deteriorated back roof for the family.
The team worked to remove the old structure and install a sturdy new roof to ensure the women have a dry, safe home for the coming winter. The mission ended not just with a completed roof, but with a touching moment of connection between the donors and the family.
A moment of shared joy: The UP team, Project RENEW staff, and local Blind Center representative celebrate with Ms. Men and her 86-year-old mother, Ms. Thu (center), who can now look forward to a warm, dry winter.
A Legacy of Support
This trip adds another chapter to a history of service that dates back to 2013. Veterans of the group recall the 2016 mission, where the team helped build cowsheds for ethnic minority families near Khe Sanh.
Chuck Searcy, Co-founder of Project RENEW and In-country Representative of Friends of Project RENEW, met with the group to express his gratitude for their sustained commitment.
“You have been here for the long haul and we appreciate it so much,” Searcy told the group. “On behalf of the beneficiaries—who are the ones who actually benefit from the work—every bit helps. And we are so grateful.”
Bill Cuff, the group leader who has taken part in three working trips to Vietnam through Project RENEW, responded to Searcy’s sentiment with deep appreciation for the organization’s leadership.
“I’ve met you twice in my life and we can’t think of a more deserving person nor a more deserving organization to get this pattern recognition,” Cuff said. “If the world is full of social justice warriors like you…”
