The History of TWOS (The Way Of Saints)

‘TWOS Home Sales’ was started in 1993 by my late father, Jerry Micklewright.

 A little bit about my dad . . . he was involved in big business for all the years I grew up; primarily as a CPA/Chief Financial Officer in several Construction Firms. Becoming disillusioned by the many facets of the business world, my father decided to go into a different direction entirely. Jerry began dabbling in another avenue in which he always had a passion for: Real Estate… in the realm of buying/renovating/re-selling of dilapidated homes. In order to save money in the area of Real Estate commissions, Jerry studied and obtained his R.E. License. After which, he joined a Real Estate firm, whereupon, he became associated with many other realtors. At that point, Jerry realized that the age-old practice of invoking St. Joseph’s aide in the sale of one’s home – was a prevalent tradition for many people. Yet, there was something unsettling to my father. The tradition was alive; but, in his opinion, something was also missing. Jerry became aware that many people were already vaguely-familiar with this timeless tradition. However, the practice became so surrounded by numerous ‘how, when, and where’ details; that, even well-meaning people began to erroneously render the practice as nothing but superstition, magic, etc… Therefore, Jerry put together leaflets, explaining the ‘St. Joseph Home Sale Practice’, along with the revered St. Joseph prayer…in order to bring the focus back to the very heart of this tradition: one’s faith and prayer. When done in faith, the ‘St. Joseph Home Sale Practice’ can be a genuinely prayerful experience for anyone of any faith. Fulfilling what he set out to accomplish, reintroducing prayer and one’s faith as the highlight of this enduring tradition…my father, Jerry Micklewright, passed away on June 5th, 1999.

The task of taking up where my father left off, has been a privilege. I, too, believe in the strength of one’s faith and prayer. So, learning, running, and growing his business has been an honor to continue. I have worked on the growth and expansion of my father’s business through the addition of a Spanish Version for a community known for its religious devotion; creating a Display Box which conveniently holds 12 for the checkout counters; Incorporating the business – now known as ‘TWOS Sales, Inc.’. And for several years, as a separate item - my father’s product was paired with a book entitled, St. Joseph, My Real Estate Agent, by Stephen J. Binz which focused on the same principles of faith and prayer. Additionally, in 2005, I was grateful that the History Channel selected to prominently display our product, the ‘St. Joseph Home Sale Practice’. Fr. Claude Grou, C.S.C. summed up the timeless tradition by stating: “It’s faith that is important. You place your need before God. The statue you place there, is just an expression of your faith” (see attached excerpt from the History Channel episode, entitled: “Joseph, The Silent Saint”). During the same time, Channel 5 News reporter, Don Lemon, did a segment on St. Joseph, referring to him as a ‘Real Power Broker’ in real estate. He said it began with a few faithful homeowners, then Real Estate agents who say they found home selling success with a little divine intervention. In addition, the Channel 5 News reported that our ‘St. Joseph Home Sale Practice’ has made its’ way into mainstream stores, such as ACE Hardware. The film crew shot a clip at the ACE Hardware in McHenry, IL, where our St. Joseph was prominently displayed on an endcap, a featured item also known for being a very successful impulse item (see video clip of the Channel 5 News Report on our Home Page).

Another special feature of ‘The St. Joseph Home Sale Practice’ was the facility that my father chose to assemble and ship his product nationwide. From the mid-1990’s till 2015, Pioneer Center of McHenry, Illinois, took great care in the assembly and shipment of my father’s product. Pioneer Center is a Not-for-Profit 501(c)(3) organization that helps underserved adults with developmental, cognitive and mental disabilities. However, in 2015, they changed course and became an adult day-care-only facility. I was saddened to part with Pioneer Center since it was such an integral part of my father’s product. However, with Pioneer Center closing their work center, I had no doubt that I wanted to stay on the path of employing the same type of facility. There is a gentleness and determination within their clients, that cannot be duplicated. Planet Access in Des Plaines, Illinois became our new assembly and shipment center. As was Pioneer Center, Planet Access (a social enterprise of Search, Inc.) is also a 501(c)3 Non-Profit that “empowers individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve their full potential, accept a valued role in their community and lead rich, rewarding lives.” (check out their website: www.search-inc.org) The clients at Planet Access Co. take great pride and care in the assembly and shipment of my item; alongside, the dedicated and caring staff who assist in the smooth and professional operation of aiding businesses such as mine. Believing that Planet Access is beneficial to both the client and those businesses they provide a service to, I have proudly added the following, very-visible verbiage onto my product’s side panel:

My father also had the intuition of people’s grateful spirit resulting from a quick sale of their home with the assistance of St. Joseph. With that foresight, he included on the backside of each Prayer Card, a suggestion for a donation: “You might consider thanking Joseph, by helping the good Fathers build a shrine in honor of St. Joseph. If you graciously do decide, to share a portion of your good fortune, send your tax-deductible gift directly to the Pious Union of St. Joseph in Grass Lake, Michigan.” Because of this suggestion, the Pious Union received many, many letters of gratitude, along with their generous donations. In our Testimonial Page, you can read some of their letters of gratefulness. Furthermore, Pious Union wanted to thank my father during their dedication ceremony in 2006, by dedicating a plaque on a ‘Step of the Holy Stair’ in my father’s memory. Years later, realizing a big portion of the construction of the St. Joseph Shrine was completed, an alternative suggestion was added for one’s contribution be given to a nearby homeless shelter, dedicated to offering hope and a better future for all.

During the COVID pandemic of 2020, my business slowed down to a crawl, due to my position as a wholesaler and all stores being shuttered. Therefore, I took on the arduous, but important, task of compiling the documents to become certified as a ‘woman-owned’ company. Although I have been a ‘Woman-Owned’ business from the start, I have never been Certified as such. Therefore, I am extremely grateful of the accomplishment of being certified by such an honorable entity, WBENC, at the end of May 2020. The WBENC Certification validates that a business is at least 51 percent owned, controlled, operated and managed by a woman or women. WBENC’s world-class certification standard is accepted by more than 1,000 corporations representing America's most prestigious brands, in addition to many states, cities and government entities.Learn more about WBENC Certification.