Mr. S was undergoing rehabilitation and not able to move back home until a wheelchair ramp was installed. A few days after applying for our program, Mrs. S learned their insurance allowance for in-patient rehab was almost exhausted and they couldn't afford to pay for Mr. S to stay in rehab any longer, let alone pay to have a ramp installed at their home.
Our staff and volunteers immediately got to work to develop the plans and secure the materials so Mr. S could return home quickly. Luckily, an aluminum ramp we had installed for another homeowner was ready to be picked up and its parts were almost right for this home. Three teams of volunteers jumped into action on the work day. Lou Wood, our aluminum ramp expert, and five volunteers disassembled the ramp to be re-used and moved it to Mr. and Mrs. S's home. Chris Thiel, one of our expert carpenters, arrived at the S's home and worked with two other volunteers to overbuild the stoop and build new wooden steps down to the carport. The third team, led by Don Ryan, went to our storage facility to pick up an extra aluminum platform and rails needed to complete the ramp with the correct slope.
All the moving pieces came together and our dedicated volunteers were able to complete the stoop, stairs and ramp sections in one day to allow Mr. S to return home the following day. A few days later, Lou and three volunteers returned to complete the railings and punch-out repairs. "Mrs. S has worked long and hard to take care of her husband," said volunteer Lou Wood. "Her joy and emotional relief came out in happy tears more than once while we worked to build the ramp."
Our volunteers love helping their neighbors in need. They improve the quality of life for the homeowners we help, and they improve their own quality of life. It's a great circle of sharing.
Click here to go to our Flickr album so you can see how the ramp came together.
