What do you do when the weatherman says that it is going to rain cats and dogs, but you have a neighbor who is depending on you to build them a wheelchair ramp? Well, you get out your rain gear and you figure out how to build a wheelchair ramp in the rain.
The Wheelchair Ramp Team of Messiah Lutheran Church had another successful (but rainy) ramp building day today. 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.
One of the best parts of the ramp building ministry, besides sharing our time and talents with the community, is the fellowship we share. We always meet for breakfast before heading out for a build. Today was no exception. We met at Shaggy’s in Huntsville to nourish our bodies and spirits before heading out.
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.
For this ramp build we repurposed our tailgating shelters to build a little tent city.
The team still got a little damp and had to wallow in the mud a bit, but the tent city kept the majority of the rain off of us.
One of the toughest parts of ramp building is pounding in the support stakes. It wasn’t nearly as hard today because the ground was nice and soft.
Leveling out the ground for the last ramp section was a little soupy.
Just as we finished the project, the clouds parted and the Sun came out.
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.
Here are some additional photos from today’s build. https://goo.gl/photos/ZWxgZBr82nYoE2nu5