Low-Rise-Long-Tread Steps

On November 4 and 5, 2015, one of our Ramp Up Marathon County volunteer construction crews was hard at work building a set of low-rise-long-tread steps for a woman in the greater Wausau area. These specialized steps are a great solution for people who can walk, but have difficulty raising their foot from step to step on normal 7" rise stairs. Another benefit to low-rise-long-tread steps is that a walker will fit on each step.

Here's a look at the project from start to finish... (Photos courtesy of John Ohnstad.)

Thank You To Our Volunteers and Funders

Ramp Up Marathon County has no paid staff. That's right. We are an organization operated solely by volunteers. These dedicated individuals give of their precious time to write grants, review completed project applications, design ramps and low-rise-long-tread-steps projects, create and manage budgets, build the projects and more. Some are part of the leadership team for the organization, others utilize saws and screw drivers on build sites and a few do both.

But the giving doesn't stop there.

We also have wonderful funders who donate the money needed to purchase materials for our projects. Because of their generosity we are able to help people with very limited finances. We are proud to include among our funders the Aspirus Health Foundation, the B.A. and Esther Greenheck Foundation, Thrivent Financial Solutions and several kind individuals.

And of course we are grateful to Midstate Independent Living Consultants, Inc. for taking us on as a program of their organization. It is good to have a home.

No one of us could get this all done on our own, but by pooling our talents and resources we are able to make our community safer for those in the greatest need.

Thank you all!

A Pictorial Essay of Our Latest Ramp Build (photos by John Ohnstad)

Ramp Up Marathon County to Build Third Ramp of 2015

Louise has been helping others her entire life and still gives her time to drive others to appointments, but now she needs a little help herself to get safely into and out of her home in Wausau. 

“I have always had a bad back, and I’ve had both knees and one hip replaced,” Louise said. “It’s very hard to go up and down the stairs. I am so grateful that Ramp Up Marathon County is going to build a ramp for me.”

A friend encouraged Louise to apply for assistance through the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin (ADRC-CW). She met the eligibility criteria for Ramp Up Marathon County, so ADRC-CW staff helped her fill out the application and Ramp Up Marathon County agreed to build a ramp. Materials are paid for through grant money raised from several local foundations and individual donations, and all planning and construction labor is donated by local volunteers. This is the third ramp build for the group this summer. 

Many hours of work have already gone into the project with site visits and detailed construction design, creating and double checking a materials list, organizing materials, planning for materials delivery and lining up a volunteer construction team. Materials will be delivered on August 17^th and building should be in full swing on August 18 and 19^th.  

“I’m not used to asking for help, but I’m real glad I did,” Louise noted. “The people I’ve met from Ramp Up Marathon County have just been great. Without them I don’t know if I would have ever gotten a ramp.”

To find out how you can volunteer, donate or make a referral, call Erin Wells, Community Resources Manager at the Aging and Disability Resource Center, toll free at 1-888-486-9545, or Nancy Keller at Midstate Independent Living Consultants at 800-382-8484 ext. 211. Or, visit www.RampUpMC.org. Marathon County is a program of Midstate Independent Living Consultants, Inc.