It was a bittersweet day. On the plus side, we had the opportunity to help out a neighbor by building them a wheelchair ramp. On the sad side, we recently lost our friend and long time ramp builder Jim Fossum. Jim was a positive force and had an infectious spirit that made each ramp build so much of fun. He will be missed. We dedicated this our 40th wheelchair ramp build in his honor. This ongoing ministry of Messiah Lutheran Church is conducted in partnership with CASA of Madison County to build fully functional and safe ramps for those in need.
Additional Photos From This Build
The ramp team is about much more that just just constructing wheelchair ramps. It is about fellowship and camaraderie. The team gets together before the ramp build to have breakfast and gets together after the build for lunch.
The materials for these ramps are provided by CASA which stands for Care Assurance System for the Aging and Homebound. CASA is a non-profit agency located in Huntsville, Alabama that provides services to individuals age 60 and older and to the homebound (wheelchair and bed bound) of all ages since 1979. CASA’s mission is to provide needed services to aging/homebound individuals that allow them to remain at home and age in place. Our programs are designed to enable the elderly and homebound to maintain their independence, dignity, health and safety by providing services that specifically address their special physical and emotional needs.
Everyone on the team has a job. Measuring, Carrying, Cutting, Assembling, and Inspecting. There are plenty of jobs to do and the team is always looking for new members who enjoy spending a Saturday morning in fellowship while helping out members of our community. No special skills are needed.
CASA builds wheelchair ramps for needy individuals regardless of income or age and at no cost to the client. Wheelchair ramps provide CASA clients the mobility necessary for safely entering and leaving their homes, while promoting a sense of independence and freedom and access to the outside world. Each ramp is custom designed for each client and built by CASA volunteers. By providing wheelchair ramps, we are providing our clients with the knowledge that there are people in the community who truly care about their well-being
The Messiah Lutheran Church ramp team is one of the many teams in the greater Huntsville area that support CASA by providing teams to assemble the ramps at the client’s homes. If you would like to participate in a future wheelchair ramp build, please contact the Messiah Lutheran Church Office at 256-721-0041
The family was very happy with the ramp that we constructed. They told us repeatedly that the new ramp would be so much safer than the old and dilapidated ramp.
