Ramp it Up volunteers spent their Saturday building a new ramp for a good cause.
“It feels nice to help people because you want to, and not to ask for anything in return,” Hannah Holden, 15, of Vestal said.
Holden is one of the youth volunteers of the Broome County Council of Churches Ramp it Up program. The crew built the ramp at 84 North Hudson St. in Johnson City.
A group of 17 people helped build a ramp and platform to replace the old one that did not meet the Americans with Disabilities Act’s standards for the handicapped resident at the home.
The program consists of volunteers from the Calvary United Methodist Church in Vestal. Clients go through an application process to apply for a ramp, and if approved they are completely funded by the Broome County Council of Churches. Depending on the client’s income a donation is sometimes requested.
The program coordinator, Robert Bundy says, not only is the program great for the people that need the ramps, but it is also a great way for the community’s youth to learn about construction.
“They will construct the ramp, set the ramp, put the the railings up and we do it in a day,” Bundy said.
Chad Jablonka has been volunteering with the program since it’s creation 9 years ago.
“Before this I knew nothing about carpentry or construction in any bit,” Jablonka said. “And now I’m supervising some of the adults.”
Volunteers started working at 8am on the project Saturday. Bundy says the success of the program would not be possible without help from the community.”
“It’s very fulfilling for everyone involved,” Bundy said. “You’re able in a short period of time to really make a difference in someone’s life.”
The program starts building ramps each May and continues every weekend until winter weather conditions prevent them from working outside. They average 20 ramps a year.
For the complete article, go to: http://www.wbng.com/news/local/Volunteers-Ramp-It-Up-and-give-back-to-the-community-390806082.html