Dave, a BraunAbility employee for over 32 years, knows the impact of SAWs.  

Homer and Virginia, Dave Hettinger’s parents, have been married for 54 years and live in the small town of Star City, in Pulaski County, Indiana. Dave describes his mother as high energy, so when Virginia’s health began to falter, the family was stressed.  Humble Hoosiers to the core, Dave’s parents were reluctant to accept help.  Virginia was facing hip surgery and the family wondered how they were going to manage. 

When Dave’s BraunAbility co-workers learned about Virginia’s struggles, they sprung into action and Human Resources Manager Kacey quickly gathered a team of BraunAbility employees, some who were life-long friends of Dave, together. Within a week, they built a SAWs ADA-compliant ramp as an addition to Virginia and Homer’s deck. 

Dave says his parents have enjoyed their ramp immensely and are able to sit outside and enjoy the night air on a warm night or travel out to have dinner with friends and family. It is a comfort to know accessibility to their home and community won’t be an issue in the future.  

A few years ago, the BraunAbility plant in Winamac made a commitment to Indiana and began building SAWs ramps for people living with long-term disabilities in low-income households.  In 2021 alone, BraunAbility employees volunteered nearly 600 hours building ramps for families in our communities.  Now, we are taking it even further. 

To celebrate BraunAbility’s 50th Anniversary, they have issued SAWs a challenge: to build 50 ramps in 50 days!  BraunAbility has pledged to match all donations to SAWs up to $50,000 to make this a reality.  Ramps will be built throughout Indiana and nation-wide, in communities where BraunAbility employees live and work.  

Visit https://www.sawsramps.org/50-in-50-campaign/ to donate or volunteer and make sure SAWs meets the challenge to double the impact and serve 50 people in need of greater accessibility, freedom and independence in their homes.  You, too, can help people just like Virginia and her family to remain in their homes.