In the coming weeks it may be necessary for us to considerably change the way this site is operated, or even close down the site entirely, and we thought it only fair to share with our viewers what has prompted this situation...

For those of you who are not familiar with the origins of "Jacqui's Place", we started back in the Fall of 2005 when Jacqui first started wearing braces because I enjoyed them on her. Other than the old B&W polio era photos that constantly recirculated (and still do) in different groups and some of Bill Koons' early work, there was very little material devoted to those who enjoyed the sight of a pretty lady wearing leg braces in their various forms, and since Jacqui thought I was the only one in the world who could possibly enjoy the way she looked in them we decided to share our early adventures with the web to both help fill the need for quality (New!) photos and to show her just how many people there were who would appreciate her photos.

The first week there were several hundred visits to the site, and by the next week the counter was already in the thousands. We started to get email telling us how nice it was to see a site devoted to this subject, and requesting more photos and also video. In those days bandwidth was still relatively expensive, and to provide the kind of quality material people were asking for we would need a digital camera, a camcorder, and some nicer braces than the ill-fitting pair I first purchased for Jacqui on eBay. We decided to offer Membership Subscriptions and dvd collections as some of the other sites online did to help defray these costs and allow us to start "saving up" so we could purchase equipment, materials and outfits to fulfill some of the many requests we were getting. The site became very popular, and we were soon able to purchase first the white KAFOs for Jacqui and then the polished cuff, taupe leather pair that were adjustable enough to fit both Jacqui and me. We added a digital camcorder and DSLR to improve photo quality, upgraded our webhosting service to handle more volume and got to work. We were also lucky enough to have a friend or two donate extra shoes and mountings, crutches and so on.

During this time of growth and development for the site Paige knew what we were doing, but we didn't want to involve her in it until she was older. Once she started college it was obvious that she would need a part-time job to help cover all the incidentals (and essentials!) that we couldn't, but with her scholastic schedule it wouldn't have left much time for sleep, so we asked her if she would like to participate and use whatever income her photos and video generated to help with her expenses at school rather than having to use what little free time she would have by working a part-time job. We felt this would benefit everyone, since we would get to see her more often, she would have some spending money and not have to commit all of her free time to a set schedule at a job, and our viewers would have the added variety of a second very pretty lady wearing braces and casts on the site. This plan worked very well for the first few months after she joined the site in November, 2008.

Over the past several months we have posted what I believe (and viewer feedback has confirmed) have been some of the best photos of Paige and Jacqui so far, and plans are still in the works to answer many requests we have simply not been able to do so far. Unfortunately, during that same period interest in the site has lagged more and more, and membership has fallen dramatically. If this trend continues we will no longer be able to devote the time, effort and funds required to maintain this site, and once Paige finds and is obligated to part-time employment she will be unavailable for new photoshoots and continued updates. We certainly want to avoid that and are hoping we can find a way to rekindle interest and participation before it becomes necessary.

I would like to make a personal comment to those few who have written to express their disdain and scorn that we would charge for this material instead of publishing everything for free. First, I'd like to point out that just the two pair (White and Taupe) of KAFOs cost over $3,000.00 (not counting the shoes and mounting)... we also try to continually add new outfits and accessories, and to travel to new locations to keep the photos interesting, and we have enough of a fan-base that enjoys casting as well as braces that we periodically purchase an assortment of casting supplies. For every full update we post, on average Jacqui or Paige has devoted a day of their time to preparing, dressing in something requested by fans, traveling to and from, wearing the braces/casts next on the list, and either posing at home or going out in public in heavy braces or casts, shuffling along on crutches while strangers look on - often being stared at, in an attempt to answer the requests people send in. Once their work is done I get to invest the time in downloading, sorting, editing, creating and uploading each update (I'm not complaining - it's one of the most enjoyable jobs I've ever had, but it does take time). We've had many requests for a HKAFO for Jacqui and Paige and would love to get one them since I'm a fan of HKAFOs myself, but that's yet another $3,500+ investment, and there are always suggestions about getting new shoes, new boots, new crutches... and every one of those is yet another expense. So here's a challenge from me to those who feel that way: first, purchase some braces, crutches and a wheelchair. Then, put your wife or daughter in them and go out to the mall or around town, to the zoo, or maybe window shopping... take lots of photos and some video as strangers look on and post it all on your website so we can enjoy it. Don't forget, we want it for free. As soon as you send me your link and show me you can "Put your money where your mouth is" for an extended period of time, then I'll be willing to take you seriously.

The reality, though, is that it is a bad economy, and so we are willing to do our part to help revitalize the site so more people can enjoy it and we can continue to provide the material you have asked for since 2005. Over the next few days you'll see some reductions in our overall Membership costs as well as on dvds in the store, and a few special combination packages to make it more attractive to join for the first time or to stay with us. Once we see how things go after that we will make our decision on what to do next, and hopefully the only decision we'll have to make is what to do for our next update!