Record Number of Ramp Referrals in One Day

Dear Friends,

You probably have heard me say that there will be a continued and growing need for our services as the baby boomers age out and as we become better known within the state. Yesterday, May 11th, is likely a harbinger of things to come. We received 22 referrals yesterday – five each in Austin and the Permian Basin (where we will build our first ramp on Saturday), four in Abilene, two each in San Antonio and the North Central Texas region and single referrals in Texarkana, Fort Worth, El Paso and Houston. If we received ten referrals each work day for a year that would be 2600 referrals/year. Our current expectations are that we will build slightly in excess of 600 ramps this year.

We all have some work to do.

John Laine
Executive Director
Texas Ramp Project

April 23, 2011 Was a Great Day for Ramps in the Wichita Falls Region

The weather was nice and so were the volunteers as they worked together to improve the mobility and lives of people in our community.  One team built a 29 foot ramp (shown in the picture).  Another team painted two ramps – a total of 49 feet – helping to protect the ramps from the weather so they will provide many years of assistance.

Most of the volunteers were from First United Methodist of Wichita Falls, but it was great to have a couple from the Kiwanis Club join the paint team.  On top of that, it was great to have a couple from Sheppard AFB join the build team!

The tentative date for the next ramp build in Wichita Falls is Saturday, May 28.  Contact Troy Sims (tsims@fumcwf.org or 940-766-4231) to take part!

Check out the pictures of the completed ramp build:

Build Team L-R, standing: Alan Ballard, Tim Travis, Jim Whitmer, Bryan Coons, Will Barksdale; kneeling: Branden & Beth Felker; not shown: Troy Sims Paint Team (not shown): Alexys Maxwell, Nancy Orr, Larry & Sandy Park, Gary & Tammy Sparks, Crystal Sullivan

Milestone: 8 Miles of Ramps Built by Ramp Project Volunteers

On Saturday, March 12, 2011, Helen of Granbury received a 27 foot ramp built by North Central Texas Ramp Project volunteers. Her ramp put the total length of ramps built by ramp project volunteers throughout Texas at exactly 42,240 feet: 8 miles on the nose.

Congratulations and thank you to all of you who have made this accomplishment possible. You are both a credit and an invaluable asset to your communities.

Steve

Access Has Been Provided for Another Family in Burkburnett, Texas

A few weeks ago, Rev. Marc Corazao (Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church Commerce and Campus Minister of the Wesleyan Campus Ministry at Texas A&M Commerce) called Rev. Troy Sims of First United Methodist Church of Wichita Falls.  Marc was looking for a missions opportunity for members of his campus ministry to serve during Spring Break. 

Building Freedom in the Permian Basin

We are now accepting referrals  for ramps in the Permian Basin. This area will be serving Andrews, Borden, Crane, Dawson, Ector, Gaines, Glasscock, Howard, Loving, Martin, Midland, Pecos, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Ward and Winkler counties.

Interested in volunteering this area? Send us an email.

The Ramp Project only accepts client referrals from social service agencies. Social workers can refer clients via our referral page.

TRP Closing in on 8 miles of wheelchair ramps

Somewhere in Texas, sometime today a team of Ramp Project volunteers will complete the Project’s 8th mile of ramp.  We began the day 75 feet (3 average length ramps) short of 42,240 feet of ramp built.  I don’t usually encourage reporting ramps one at a time, but in this case you are encouraged to send in information on ramps built today. Ramps will be recorded in the order the data is received and I will let you all know who gets credit for completing the 8th mile.

Meanwhile, a hearty thank to all the dedicated volunteers who have gotten us — and those they serve — to this milestone.

Steve

Good Weekend for Ramps in Wichita Falls!

Picture it:  8:00am on a Saturday morning.  Thirty-two youth (grades 7-12 from First United Methodist, Wichita Falls and Floral Heights United Methodist, Wichita Falls) arrive having already been fasting since at least midnight for their 30 hour famine weekend.  They’d be fasting for an additional 23 hours in their solidarity with those in hunger around the world.  Yet, they came, along with twelve adults with these tasks before them: