First Ramp Build of 2018 Season Completed!

After a rain delay last week the first ramp build of the 2018 season was completed in the Colby area today under ideal conditions. As many as 10 Ramp Up volunteers were on hand each of the three days. The crew enjoyed the beautiful farm scenery of western Marathon County and discovered a new favorite lunch spot.

A Big Thank You From Ramp Up Marathon County

The Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin/Holtz Krause Community Fund made a generous donation that allowed us to purchase a power generator to be used at ramp project work sites. More times than not, we do not have access to adequate power to operate the equipment needed to compete our ramp builds. The ability to run more than one piece of equipment at a time is greatly appreciated by our skilled volunteers as they build multiple wheelchair ramps and low-rise-long-tread steps that enable people of need to stay in their homes longer. It was put to good use today as the RUMC crew worked on a ramp build in the Colby area.

Once again, a big thank you to The Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin/Holtz Krause Community Fund for generous support of Ramp Up Marathon County and for making our community a great place to live and work.

Thank You On Behalf of a 2017 Ramp Recipient

Building a ramp for someone in need means a lot to them not just in terms of accessibility but also safety as well. Here’s some Survey feedback we received  from one of our recent ramp recipients... 

How has RUMC affected your life?

Has taken a huge problem for us away. It had been a big problem with safety. Made it much safer for us to use.

Do you have any questions or suggestions?

Just thanks to everyone involved with this project.

– Donald D.

We are happy to help! If you know of a lower income adult in Marathon County who is not in a longterm care program and needs a ramp to safely enter and exit their home, please get in touch with a Resource Specialist from the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin to see if they qualify. 

2018 Ramp Up MC Build Season Kick Off

The 2018 build season kicked off with a pre-build day to get ready for a one of two ramp projects coming up in the Colby area. The crew enjoyed beautiful spring weather conditions as they pre built the ramp sections which will be transported to western Marathon County this week.

Transition of Ramp Up Co-Chairs

Bill Pogge (right) reviews ramp
plans with Ray Nowaczyk

Ramp Up Marathon County has always intentionally involved a diversity of individuals in its leadership team, including two co-chairs, one representing an organization who provides referrals and the other who is a "private citizen" volunteer.

This summer saw a Ramp Up Marathon County leadership transition.

Bill Pogge, a volunteer who had served as co-chair with Erin Wells (Aging and Disability Resource Center Community Resources Manager) for the Ramp Up leadership team stepped down to focus on work with Faith in Action’s Senior Home Safety Program and other personal interests.

Bill was an instrumental part of conceptualizing and actualizing Ramp Up. He wrote much of the by-laws, headed the work with funders and fiscal partners, and helped on site at the project builds. We sincerely thank Bill for all of his hard work and wish him all the best.

Mike Sydow

Mike Sydow has stepped into Bill’s former position, with Wells continuing as co-chair.

After 26 years as Marathon County Register of Deeds, Mike retired in January of 2017. When Ray Nowaczyk, a longtime friend of Mike’s and member of the Ramp Up leadership team, learned that the co-chair position would be vacant by mid-summer, he suggested that Mike check it out.

“I was more than wanting to be involved for quite a while,” Mike recalled. “I didn’t expect to be co-chair right away, but it’s OK.”

An interest in building runs in Mike’s family. His dad was always remodeling something or other, one brother is a builder and another is a building inspector.

But Mike has a special understanding of the need for ramps. He has been using a wheelchair since 1975 when he suffered a broken neck during a water skiing accident.

According to Mike, “It’s important for anyone with a disability to be able to get in and out of their home for work, medical appointments and social activities.”

And that’s just what the work that Ramp Up Marathon County does by funding and building ramps and specialized stairs for lower income Marathon County residents.

For more information about Ramp Up Marathon County, go to www.RampUpMC.org. 

Note from an Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin Employee

The whole purpose of our organization is to fund and build ramps for those in need who otherwise couldn't afford to have one built. It's always nice to hear that what we're doing makes a difference. One of the wonderful staff at the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin recently sent us this note.

Just thought I’d share. . .  I met with one of your ramp recipients yesterday and asked how the ramp is working for him.  

His response was, “Great!  At first I didn’t think I would like it but now it’s working out really well.”  

He then proceeded to let me know that he has three squirrels he feeds who enjoy running up and down it and stare at him if he doesn’t give them their peanuts.  

Could you pass this along to the Ramp Up committee??  I’m sure they like to hear that they are making a difference even when it seems so obvious.

Thanks for taking the time to let us know. We all appreciate it.

If you know of a lower income adult in Marathon County in need of a wheelchair ramp or specialized stairs so they can get safely in and out of their home, please have them call a Resource Specialist at the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin (1-888-486-9545) or Nancy at Midstate Independent Living Consultants, Inc. (1-800-382-8484 ext. 211). Either organization will help with the application to determine eligibility. 

Thank You On Behalf of Ramp Recipient

Building a ramp for someone in need means a lot not just to them, but to their family and friends as well. Here is a note we recently received from the daughter of one of our ramp recipients... 

Hello Gentlemen.

Just wanted to tell you how appreciative our family is of the wheelchair ramp you built for our mom. She is so happy to be home and able to easily leave her house for appointments or just to look at her garden or sit at the picnic table with family. Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts. 

         Carolyn L.

We are happy to help! If you know of a lower income adult in Marathon County who is not in a longterm care program and needs a ramp to safety enter and exit their home, please get in touch with a Resource Specialist from the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin to see if they qualify. 

Ramp Completed Built on June 12, 2017

This family had been using a temporary ramp, but needed something sturdier to use on a permanent basis. The new ramp is wider, has railings, and is a more gradual slope.

Specialized Steps Completed in Early June, 2017

June 6 and 7 we removed an old, unsound porch and steps and replaced it with a new landing and modified stairs. Later, when a ramp is needed, we can use the new landing/porch as a platform and add a ramp.

Ramp Up Thanks Wausau Tile!

Ramp Up Marathon County volunteer Dick Keding recently worked with Wausau Tile to coordinate a donation of fifty 12x12 pavers. These pavers will come in handy to provide transition at the end of some ramps and possibly as footers under the posts. Thank you Wausau Tile! Thank you Dick Keding!

Wausau Tile

 

Ramp Up Thanks the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin!

Ramp Up Marathon County received a Community Enhancement Grant of $4,900.00 from the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin. This one-time grant was used to purchase and equip a trailer and purchase some needed construction tools.

By receiving this grant and purchasing a trailer and tools, we are able to broaden our volunteer base because they will no longer be required to provide their own tools. The trailer also provides a secure, efficient, weather-safe means to store and transport our tools and general building materials.

A local church will let us park the trailer in their parking lot during the building season. A volunteer will provide off-season covered and secure storage on property outside of the Wausau metro area.

Community Founation of North Central Wisconsin