6 Ramps In 6 Days

This past weekend Jim and I volunteered on the 6 ramps in 6 days initiative. Its a great program where we mobilize volunteers to help wheelchair bound citizens with wheelchair ramps at no cost to them. Now you may be thinking "wheelchair ramps, big deal." Wait until you see these things! We were lucky enough to have a veteran carpenter plan and help work with us. We got started on our 5th ramp this past Saturday, after the Friday night rainstorm, it was about 96 degrees out with some of the most thick humidity I have ever felt. We got started early, but it did not take long for the heat to set in! Fortunately we were still able to get most of the ramp finished, and only required about 2 hours the following Tuesday. Below are some pictures for you viewing pleasure, hope you enjoy!

This was what we started with.

Al and I working on the first deck.


Al and Jim working on the second deck.

Big Jim on the final run!

The finished product!

Gardening For Lori

A few weeks ago I began gardening help for Mrs. Lori Sharr. Lori is a 92 year old widow from Germany who called us for help with the garden she used to keep with her late husband. On my way there the first time I envisioned your typical elderly woman, but was I wrong! Mrs. Sharr's motor runs stronger and longer than mine! She is a inspiration to be around, a great example that retirement years really are the golden years. Se also has been a shining example of the American dream. She grew up in worn torn Germany in the early 1920's amid 2 world wars, but was able to keep everything together and work to educated herself. She, with her husband and son, moved to America in the late 1950's in search of freedom and the American dream. She is now retired here in Bradenton Fl. in the same house she and her husband built over 40 years ago. She has really inspired me to what people can do with shear willpower, something I feel is lost in today's world.

Kelly Brown Community Center

Our first project is to get the Kelly Brown Community Center in Palmetto, Fl. up and running. As of right now all we have is a vacant building, but we are working hard to change that! For the past week, Myself and our other AmeriCorps Volunteer Jim Heaton have been tearing out all of the old dilapidated flooring and walls. So far we have about 60% out of there, but still have a little ways to go. Its exciting knowing that one day this will be a facility to help meet several needs in the community and really make a difference, so its not so bad when a piece of tile shoots up and cuts me in the leg...repeatedly(LoL!). We also have some youth from the Anna Gail Youth Center coming to help with clean up soon, and we are very excited about getting them involved in community volunteerism! Its about time to get back to work, so until next time!