Category: News

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.

The initiative brings freedom, accessibility, and independence to several locations across the United States.

INDIANAPOLIS, AUGUST 15, 2022: – Servants at Work, Inc. (SAWs), Indiana-based nonprofit dedicated to building wheelchair accessible ramps for people with long-term disabilities, partnered with BraunAbility, a global leader in wheelchair accessible vehicles and lifts. Together they achieved an ambitious goal: to build 50 wheelchair-accessible ramps this summer.

The two organizations have similar missions dedicated to enhancing independence for individuals with mobility challenges.

“SAWs was honored to partner with BraunAbility in celebrating their 50^thanniversary. Sharing our mission with their employees and customers has brought awareness to who we are and what we specialize in, providing mobility freedom for those in need,” stated D. Michael Thompson, SAWs Executive Director.

The majority of the 50 ramps have been built in the Indiana communities where BraunAbility employees live and work, but thanks to SAWs’ operations team, affiliates, and BraunAbility’s retail network, the partnership was also able to successfully build ramps for clients in Illinois, Arizona, Michigan, and Seattle, Washington.

This challenge was the first of its kind for SAWs.  Operations Manager Tim Thurston and founder Rik Hagerty put in long hours to plan, execute and manage the logistics of scheduling manpower and materials.  Each ramp requires careful preparation, to include site surveying, technical sketches, and pre-cutting of wood planks before it can be installed on site.

“One of the most incredible things about this challenge is witnessing the awesome BraunAbility people and their affiliates stepping up and out of their comfort zone to learn how to build these ramps. We had teams in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Kansas City, Seattle, Phoenix, and St. Louis” stated Tim Thurston. “These 50 clients are so appreciative to regain their freedom.”

In March and April, SAWs held a successful fundraising campaign where donors were able to have their gifts matched by a $50,000 grant from BraunAbility. SAWs supporters from across the country gave generously, which resulted in the funding of all 50 ramps.  The average SAWs ramp costs over $1,500, and of the 50 ramps built, ranged in raw material cost from $700 to $5,200.

The 50 ramps built in July and August by SAWs and BraunAbility volunteers are completely free to the recipient. Each ramp is constructed of wood and adheres strictly to ADA standards. To qualify for the ramp build, recipients must have a long-term disability and have a household income below the Area Mean Income for the state of residence.

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.