Ramp-A-Thon

WarriorWithWood

Hey Greg,

Have you found anybody yet?

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-Dennis
www.bowmanch.com

silvertree

On the Ramp-A-Thon. I tried to get my local NARI interested and that's not working out, but I do have a few folks interested so I want to get in on this. I have a friend looking into a ramp for a vet, my buddy is ex-military and a former cop. Don't ask me how a guy like me gets friends like that, but hey, its good to give back. I'll follow some of the older posts to get up to speed, but I think the Ramp-A-Thon is good JuJu! I'll get working on a Mpls group to do it.

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Vote for Pedro
Kitchen, bath, St Paul remodeling
Minneapolis Remodel Blog
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Cole

Any progress fellas?

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strathd

Talked to a Lowes manager and she suggested I go online to request donations from their site. Sounds very promising. Also talked to Gordon lumber and they will help also. Menards is also on my list.

Got the word to some people that might know of someone in need. This will happen just getting all the ducks in a row.

Jason Whipple

I've got one coming soon, 4 - 5 weeks. Pretty much everything lined up except for the timing.

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Cole

Awesome news fellas!

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BuiltByMAC

So far, I've got an elderly lady who's gonna get an 'L' shaped ramp (about 3 1/2' total rise), a high schooler with a spinal disease and another lady who has a small ramp in the garage but needs another (better) form of egress from the house. I've got 6 builders ready to go and should have projects for all of them by late April.

We'll next meet as a committee in late April - by then I will have visited all the sites, taken pictures and drawn up preliminary plans. I'll pass out projects to our ramp captains and let them take it from there. We'll meet again in May and I'm hoping we can build in June.

My sincerest hope is that everyone who's listed on the RAT website will build a ramp by November of this year. The lack of communication has me worried but I'm going to just assume everyone has their projects under control and is moving forward.

I would still like to hear back from Greg Di regarding homesforourtroops.org. There were others who were going to contact woundedwarrior.org too - I'd love to get some feedback on that group.

Are there viable sources of recipients that you have found that I haven't mentioned in this thread yet? Help us help each other and list good resources here.
It seemed like one of the big sticking points was actually finding a recipient. I'd love to help but I don't know where you guys are in the process. Are you still looking? Have you found one and are now planning the project?

I have just one wish: Please, guys, make this happen.

Mac

manglam

Thanks to Mac for starting this idea here on the forum, and thanks to Cole and friends for making it sticky.

All you guys who have committed to getting a ramp built, you rock.

I would like to get involved im my area Windsor, Ontario. My aunt has been in a wheel chair for all her life (polio) and is deeply involved in many organizations for people with disabilities, I'm sure she will have no problem pointing me in the right dirrection of someone in need. I will start planning right now count me in for atleast one.

Anyone who has pictures of a successful project can post pictures and we'll put them in the hall of fame on the website.

You can also let your donors and sponsors know they will be published on the website. Pictures of people working on the project are highly encouraged.

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LNG24

Hi Guys,

I have a friend of a friend who just contacted me. The man is in need of a handicap ramp at his home in Putnam Valley, NY

I'll take the measurements and submit it here for design. I'm looking for guys to help me build it.

He's an interesting guy. He was in the French underground resistance fighting the Nazis in WW II. He just recently had to have his leg amputated and is now in need of a ramp.

I am thinking this can be a weekend project and if your not local, but want to help, I can give you a place to crash for the night.

PM me if you are interested and I will keep you posted on the progress.

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Larry
www.Lexie-Rides.com
www.SportTouringGear.com
St. Lawrence Properties

BuiltByMAC

I hope all you guys are moving forward w/ your ramp projects...

We ended up w/ 4 recipients - I met w/ all of them, took measurements and pics of the project and met w/ our HBA committee a couple of weeks ago. I've got 4 builders who have taken on the jobs - they'll meet w/ the people, build a mat. list, get it to me and I'll get the materials ordered.

We're going to build two on June 13th and two on June 20th (conflicts w/ builders' schedules prevented us from doing them all on one day).
We're working on getting the mayors from both cities (Eugene and Springfield) out to the jobsites for some volunteer work and photo ops. I'll float between projects on those weekends helping out if needed.

Folks are very excited about getting a new ramp...each of the recipients has a different story but they're all very deserving people!

I know this thread has pretty much died...I'd love to see some renewed interest in it and some new posts from folks who are on board. Bring us up to speed - what's happening w/ your projects?

Mac

LNG24

I shot pics and pulled measurements, but I think I seriously need a topo now. What do you think Cole? http://www.contractortalk.com/f4/nee...99/#post683115

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Larry
www.Lexie-Rides.com
www.SportTouringGear.com
St. Lawrence Properties

Mike(VA)

Ok, I just spent the last 1.5 hours reading all I could. I wish I had recognized what this was all about earlier, (and paid attention). Anyway, I have yet to go to the website and will do that next.

I will participate and maybe call any group we can put together in the Washington, DC metro area the "DC RATS" or something similar. Fitting for that City. Anyway, I will send my info to Mac and my favorite organization is Fisher House.

http://www.fisherhouse.org/aboutUs/aboutUs.shtml

Very fitting considering this is NATION MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH. Any other RATS in the DC metro area besides Rory? Thanks, Mac.

One thing I may look into is connecting several of the supply house together electronically so when a project comes up, we can email them of the requirements and sort of spread the cost around. Same with contractors who may participate. We'll see, first things first.

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Dan V.

I just clicked on this thread for the first time yesterday. Wow! Great idea, Mac and all you others who've helped put it together.

I'm in as well!

I'm a member of my local Board of Selectmen and I mentioned this effort to our State Rep, First Selectman and the President of our local Lion's Club chapter today when we were marching in the Memorial Day parade. I should have at least one recipient lined up in pretty short order.

All my contact info is in my profile. Mac, Seth (or whomever), let me know if you need more info.

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MikeReynolds

Hi Cole, I am new to this site because of ramp-a-thon. I would like to do one also but not through a company. I work for a large commercial construction company now (last year and a half) and they are not interested. But....

I also volunteer for our local fire dept. and they are. Is this allowed or would a company be prefered? I lost my business of fifteen years a little over a year ago but have the skills to build a very nice ramp. I guess I just want to find out more about the program with whats allowed or not. I can see that your trying to build PR for the trades (and they desperately need it IMO) and my proposal will not do that.

Thanks in advance for any info

Mike

BuiltByMAC

If you have a legal entity capable of solidly building a ramp to ADA-specifications and entering into a legal contract w/ a homeowner to build such a ramp at no cost to them,
I don't think anyone will have a problem w/ you building a ramp for someone who could really use one.

Mac

barnbuilder1

I know how u feel about a thread that doesn't get used. I will talk to American Legion, I went to a meeting 10 days ago. Maybe they can help me get started.

MikeReynolds

Thanks for the reply Mac. I just wondered about the sanctioning from Ramp-A-Thon. We would like to do the ramp anyway but if it were sanctioned we were thinking it might catch on elsewhere in our area.

If not that would be Ok too and we would understand. We are a legal entity with a state charter, articles of incorporation, and 501c3. As far as the ramp goes I would be personally overseeing the work done or doing it myself and it would definitly be quality work and ADA specs or better.

BuiltByMAC

Ramp-a-thon is nothing more than an idea. There is no official anything. I gave a challenge, many guys accepted, I gave advice and the knowledge I have regarding running a project like this in your own town, that's it.

The bottom line is it is up to each individual to make sure their ramp project happens. Period. There is no national oversight committee, no organized anything.

I wanted to put what knowledge I had in a public forum in an attempt to get multiple ramps built by self-starting contractors, guys who know how to get sh*t done.

Though pretty much everyone who initially signed on has abandoned this thread, I'm still hopeful that some ramps will get built. I've also seen a few noobs w/ the RAT badge under their handle...I'm hoping they understand what it means to display that badge.
This is not pie-in-the-sky, not wishful thinking, not good intentions - you sign up, you make. it. happen.

Dan V., please send your info to me at mac@ramp-a-thon.com. I'm not going to wander through profiles, cut-n-pasting info from folks. Earlier in this thread is a list of the specific pieces of info I'm looking for, including a 200x200 logo of your business.

Mac

That Other Guy

Dan V.

Will do, Mac.

Also, as to your comment regarding the "noobs with the R.A.T. badge", that appeared under my name when I joined that forum group. I may be a noob to this forum, but I've been doing what I do for many years. I will make it happen. I've already taken steps (as I outlined above) to locate a recipient. Additionally, I've scheduled a meeting with our local Social Services coordinator for tomorrow.

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www.forwardsolutions.net