By Tim Thurston

Meet Eugene, an 80-year-old Navy Vet who lives alone in Mooresville. This is his new ramp SAWs placed in late July.

One of the best things about building ramps is witnessing a person’s joy in getting in and out of a home safely.

So, how does this happen? What gives SAWs the opportunity to do this?

Partnerships!

These partnerships make this happen. From our referral partners, to our network of volunteers, to lumber suppliers, and finally to service-minded groups working collectively to get Eugene this ramp.

We are fortunate to have built relationships with community members statewide that allow us to transform people’s lives. For example, we have a network of referral agencies that alert us to ramp needs. Grace-At-Home referred Eugene to SAWs. They provide house calls to homebound or home-limited patients and recognized the need for Eugene’s safety.

Once SAWs receives a referral, our team of volunteers takes over. Eugene was contacted by one of our Customer Service Representatives to verify and validate all information provided in the ramp application. Another volunteer sent a waiver form to Eugene as well as received written permission from his landlord to build a ramp. Our volunteer Site Surveyor made an appointment with Eugene to visit at his home so measurements and pictures could be taken to design his ramp. Next, our Ramp Designer created a materials list and fabrication plan for Eugene’s ramp. These volunteers rock!

One of our lumber partners – Gillman Home Center Edinburgh – supplied the lumber and fasteners for Eugene’s ramp. Gillman gives SAWs special pricing for materials and we cherish how much they support SAWs’ mission.

Finally, Westlake Church Of God gathered a group of its members to build Eugene’s ramp. We met on a steamy July morning, said a prayer, and in 5 hours, built Eugene’s ramp. We called Eugene several weeks after he received the ramp to ask how it was working. He told us, “I’m very pleased with the ramp. It allows me to go outside now and enjoy the sun. It’s fantastic. I could not do that with a ramp. I no longer fear falling.”

It is through these partners – statewide – that SAWs fulfills its mission to provide freedom one ramp at a time. We are eternally grateful for these partnerships. Thank you for making this happen.