Newsletter
Volume 5, Issue 12
December 2023
Season's Greetings from
Keith Henderson
Texas Ramp Project President
To Our Incredible Volunteers and Supporters:

As we approach the end of 2023, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to you, our invaluable volunteers, supporters and donors, for your dedication, enthusiasm and selfless commitment to the Texas Ramp Project. Your generosity and tireless efforts have made an immeasurable impact on the lives of your neighbors, who now have the mobility and freedom that has eluded them for so long. For that, I am incredibly grateful.

Throughout this year, your passion and willingness to give your time and skills have been the driving force behind our success. Your hard work in the construction of more than 2,300 ramps in 2023—the most in Texas Ramp Project history—has truly made a difference by bringing hope and joy to countless individuals in our communities. Together, we have raised over $2 million in contributions, donations and in-kind services and logged over 61,000 hours, representing a value of over $1.7 million in volunteer labor.

Looking ahead to 2024, as the need for ramps continues to grow, we remain focused on the mission. I am excited and hopeful that with your continued support, our organization will get even stronger and we will achieve even greater milestones together.

As we approach the holiday season and the end of this year, I want to extend my warmest season's greetings to you and your loved ones and wish you a joyful holiday season and a New Year filled with happiness, good health, togetherness and prosperity. 

Once again, thank you from the depths of my heart for your unwavering support and for being the foundation of the Texas Ramp Project.

Warmest regards,
Keith
Volunteer of the Month:
Jim Aldridge
Texarkana East, Bowie County
Jump right in, even if it wasn’t your idea. But jump in he did, much to the benefit of people with disabilities in Bowie County.
 
As a home health physical therapist, Jim Aldridge saw the need for ramps in Bowie County. A coworker told him how to make a referral for a TRP ramp. He did, and noticed that ramps were getting built in neighboring Cass County, but not in Bowie County. He thought he was doing the referrals wrong!
Finally, Jim talked with Pete Schroeder, who builds a lot of ramps in Cass and Morris counties. Before he knew it, Jim was on a Zoom call with Sandy Knutson and Keith Henderson and had been “volunteered” to head up Bowie County. Executive director John Laine traveled to Texarkana to help with training, and Jim’s gang of fellow members from Cross Pointe Baptist Church was off and running. They have built 20 ramps just since June. In 2022, only three ramps were built. In 2021, the total was zero.
 
Jim grew up in Texarkana (on both sides of the state line). He attended the University of Central Arkansas at Conway, where he earned a bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in physical therapy. He moved back to Texarkana in 2006 and subsequently earned a master’s in health care administration as well. He has spent the past 23 years in inpatient, outpatient and nursing home settings and as a home health physical therapist for the past three years.
 
Jim is quick to credit others for this success, including fellow members of Cross Pointe Baptist Church. “God placed me in a position with the backing of a church that completely supports helping people,” he says. He specifically mentions Dale Vaughn with the “grumpy old men group,” which has been building ramps for years on their own, and Charlie Melton and his son, who serve clients in north Bowie County. The church provides space for meetings and module construction. Most of the funding so far has come from the Ark-Tex Area Agency on Aging.
 
Jim and his wife, Amy, have four teenage daughters, all of whom have helped with the ramp project at times. He and Amy keep busy with the girls’ activities, along with active membership at their church. They also enjoy hunting and fishing.
 
Of his sudden immersion into all things TRP, Jim says, “God works in mysterious ways, because I would have never actually volunteered to do it. The ultimate reward is seeing God’s plan unfold and his hand on these projects.”
John Laine Legacy Ramp Build
Molli Harris (pink hat), TRP secretary, with UT Southwestern physical therapy volunteers.
In honor of our retiring executive director, John Laine, the TRP board of directors sponsored a special ramp to be built in South Dallas. Construction took place on November 19. In addition to helping the client, who uses a cane, her mother will now be able to visit for Thanksgiving. The stairs were always an impediment for her.

The Legacy Build was the first for a new crop of volunteers from the UT Southwestern physical therapy class of 2025.
Board members Kay Champagne and Gary Stopani at work..
Team leaders were Gary Stopani and Bob Rogers. The 42-foot ramp was a challenge because it was on a small mobile home lot, and the home was set at an angle to the street. The ramp required a pie-shaped insert to orient the ramp to land on the parking pad. Two team leaders and six volunteers worked a total of 41 hours.

In addition to the six UT volunteers, Kay Champagne and Molli and John Harris came out and contributed part of the day. John Harris took some action shots.
Giving Time Is Here. You Can Help.
 
Christmas and the end of the year are just ahead. This is the season for generosity, as many people time their giving around the holidays or before the end of the year.
 
So now is a good time to remind your church or civic club or local businesses to include the Texas Ramp Project in their year-end giving or in their 2024 budget planning. This also applies to your family and friends, who know how much you value your work with TRP and how much it benefits our clients.
 
And here’s another thought for those practical folks who want to give with maximum benefit. Often TRP volunteers build a ramp that allows the client, especially an older adult, to remain in their home, aging in place rather than having to enter a care facility to achieve safe access. A $1,000 ramp from TRP can save taxpayers up to $80,000 a year for an uninsured client to live in a facility. And none of us likes to pay taxes!
 
So let’s figure out ways to secure local donations at this holiday time. Any funding raised in your community remains in your community, where you put it to work building even more ramps for your neighbors in need.
 
Happy holidays!
Recent Grants and Donations
November and December are always lucrative times for giving and receiving, and TRP is no exception. San Antonio regions did exceptionally well, receiving nearly $100,000. In addition to scores of donations from individuals and reimbursements, TRP received the following funding in the past month:

  • $60,000 for several San Antonio counties from Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio.
  • $25,000 for Austin South from The Mitchell Foundation.
  • $15,000 for San Antonio Central from DEW Foundation.
  • $15,000 for East Texas Tyler from Bob L. Herd Foundation.
  • $10,000 for San Antonio Central from The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation.
  • $10,000 for San Antonio Central from Mays Family Foundation.
  • $10,000 for statewide from LGR Foundation.
  • $10,000 for Austin Central from Lola Wright Foundation.
  • $7,500 for Austin East from McBride Post 143 American Legion Tri-County Riders.
  • $7,500 for NCT South Ellis County from Waxahachie Foundation.
  • $5,000 for Bryan/College Station from Eugene Edge III Charitable Trust.
  • $4,000 for Dallas and Tarrant County from Burns & McDonnell Foundation.
  • $3,000 for Dallas from Taylor Morrison of Texas, Inc.
  • $3,000 for Waco North from HILCO Electric Trust.
  • $2,507 for Waco South from Waco Habitat for Humanity.
  • $2,500 for Austin Central from St. David’s Episcopal Church.
  • $2,000 for San Antonio Central from Dixie Starnes Wenger Foundation.
  • $1,500 for San Antonio Central from Oak Hills Church.
  • $1,500 for Austin East from McBride Post 143 American Legion Wolters Park.
  • $1,270 for Bryan/College Station from Rotary Club of College Station.
  • $1,250 for Dallas from Richardson Women’s Club Charitable Foundation.
  • $1,000 for Dallas from Weyerhaeuser.
  • $1,000 for Dallas from Texas Instruments Foundation.
  • $1,000 for Dallas from First Community Church of Dallas.
  • $1,000 for NCT South Ellis County from Star Venture of Las Colinas.
  • $931 for Austin Central from Kendra Scott LLC.
  • $887 for Houston from Good Shepherd Church Cypress.
  • $800 for Tarrant County from Gateway Church.
  • $750 for Austin North from Habit for Humanity of Williamson County.
  • $700 for Amarillo from Van Buren Holdings LLC.
  • $693 for Amarillo from Amarillo Habitat for Humanity.
  • $605 for Dallas from King of Glory Lutheran Church.
  • $575 for Austin Central from VMware Foundation.
  • $500 for San Antonio Central from Alamo Area Hospitality Association.
  • $500 for East Texas Emory from Helping Because We Care.
  • $500 for East Texas Jacksonville from Lakeside Baptist Church.
  • $500 for Amarillo from Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church.
  • $500 for East Texas Jacksonville from Henderson Federal Savings Bank.
  • $415 for Amarillo from GrayCares Living at Home.
  • $400 for San Antonio Northwest from Bethany Lutheran Foundation of Fredericksburg.
  • $390 for Austin West from The Church at Horseshoe Bay.
  • $350 for Austin West from Hill Country Fellowship.
  • $250 for statewide from Frost Bank.
  • $250 for statewide from Father Joseph Kopp Council.
  • $250 for East Texas Jacksonville from Rotary Club of Henderson.
  • $200 for East Texas Jacksonville from Salmon Missionary Baptist Church.
  • $100 for San Antonio Central from UMW Night Circle.
  • $90 for East Texas Jacksonville from St. Matthew United Methodist Church.
  • $41 for East Texas Tyler from Garden Valley Baptist Church.
Unsung Heroes: Dallas Region
Warehouse Volunteers
by Gary Stopani
Seniors’ Net (from Network of Community Ministries) and First Richardson Helpers: L-R, Dave Corder, Sherwin Ortman, Neil Stampe, Bill Landes, Don Heaton, Vic Culver and Keith Burgess. Photo by Gary Reim.
One of the major areas in which volunteers help clients receive ramps is in the background. They are the volunteers who cut and assemble the modules (frames) before the builds take place. By performing these tasks, they reduce build time in the field. Another plus is having modules prebuilt greatly reduces wait time at the beginning so volunteers can get to work more quickly.
 
In addition to keeping the warehouse well supplied, manager Bob Brown coordinates the cutting and assembly of these modules. Three groups of volunteers are involved:

  • McKinney Kiwanis Club. These volunteers venture down from McKinney to assemble modules cut the previous day. They have two teams. One comes early to assemble the 4x4 modules. The other comes later to assemble the 4x8 modules. They also build ramps for clients in the McKinney area. Not pictured: Kirk Saxon, Dub Norrid, John Minnis, Rob Nelson, Kent VanMeter, John Nasta and Tim McWilliams.
  • Seniors’ Net (from Network of Community Ministries) and First Richardson Helpers. These groups come on the other assembly day in the morning.
  • Dallas Ramp Volunteers. This group varies from four to six volunteers twice a month. Bob orders material and has it delivered the same day they cut it for the modules. When the work is done, they head to Einstein’s to drink coffee and solve the world’s problems. Not pictured: Ray Beall and Chuck Smith.

The Dallas region will build more than 340 ramps this year. Without these dedicated groups AND Bob Brown, the region would be much less efficient. Their willingness to work in the warehouse month after month (hot or cold) is much appreciated.
McKinney Kiwanis Club morning assemblers: L-R, Jim Pedigo, Varsh, Mike Homan, Bob Cole, Jack Gregory and Jim Hudson. Photo by Mike Livezey.
McKinney Kiwanis Club morning assemblers: L-R, Harold Ellison, Mark Bohan and Bill Pritchard. 
Cutting team: L-R, Gary Stopani, Steve Adams, Tom Moore and Jim Milam. Photo by Bob Brown.


Send Us Your News!
 
Tell us what special is going on in your region. Send photos and articles to Sandy Knutson: sjknutson@texasramps.org
IMPORTANT REMINDER as We Close Out the Year
Please remember that we need all 2023 expense receipts and donations by January 10, 2024. Our auditors require that all expenses and income be booked in the proper year before the accounting books can be closed.

  • Send credit card receipts by email to Marge Oberg (maoberg45@gmail.com)
  • Send expense receipts for reimbursement to Donna Burton (texasrampstreasurer@gmail.com) or by mail to 122 Cimarron Hills East, Georgetown, TX 78628
  • Send checks for deposit to Texas Ramp Project, P.O. Box 832065, Richardson, TX 75083-2065
 
If you are holding year-end inventory, please send your completed inventory form to Donna Burton at the above address by January 10. You will be receiving instructions and the form in mid-December. For questions, please contact Donna at texasrampstreasurer@gmail.com.
 
Thanks so much for your help as we close out 2023.
Ramp of the Month
NCT Texas East: Hunt County
Mr. W.'s home had six steps and no porch. This made it impossible to navigate for Mr. W., a 70-year-old Lone Oak man who uses a motorized wheelchair. It was a great day for 10 volunteers from Greenville Golden K and Wolfe City Kiwanis, who donated 40 hours of labor to build Mr. W. a 40-foot ramp. After the build, the team went to lunch at Buffalo Grill in Lone Oak. They were treated to their lunches by a customer who found out what they had been doing that morning. Unfortunately, the customer left before she could be thanked.
We hope you enjoy having the newsletter sent to you directly, as it is filled with useful information, building hints and tips, data collection updates and processes, client stories, special announcements and recognitions.

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