A 85 year old Recipient said that she had not been out of her home in three years. Another recipient a little younger said that she was stuck inside for months awaiting someone to take her out to buy some groceries. Another could not make it to his car to go anywhere in months. A 13 year old girl that is limited from ever walking on her own again received the ability to move around and leave the confines of their home after years of being shut inside, like the others waiting and dependent. 
 
 
Through Texas Ramps are being built to aid and assist all ages that lack some of the basic functions, facing architectural barriers that limit their ability to go or travel beyond the boundaries of their door front door or porch in most cases. They need freedom and access in some cases to survive. Cain’s, crutches, joint replacement and prosthetics contribute to their limitations. Saying that a person is qualified with limitations means that they can do and in many cases do more with some accommodations. A ramp is also an accommodation. So often we take our freedoms and access for granted, never needing to weigh the lack of freedom, loss of those liberties of mobility we enjoy unimpeded. 
 
There is a small group of members of the Waxahachie Rotary that volunteer to aid and assist them by building Ramps. They take hours of their time, energy and labor every week to build Ramps. Their only reward is the tears of joy, thanks, appreciation and expressions of so many. 
 
The Customized Ramps are constructed to each homes characteristics, structure and limitations. The building of ramps by the Rotarians are limited to the Ellis County area. The entire construction process is usually accomplished in one day. The building materials are financed by the State. The structures are drawn up as blueprints after the initial consult with the recipient. Based on the design a partially constructed frame is built within a workshop by a skeleton crew. The frame along with additional building materials are transported to the worksite. and delivered to the worksite. The entire crew of volunteers come together to construct the customized ramp.
 
There is no shortage of demand for the construction in Texas. The the barrier of weather, need for additional volunteers, financing, gauntlets of access, other Service projects and time limit our ability to meet the increasing demands. 
 
Rotary is a small group of Professionals men and women that believe in “Service Before Self”, Helping and Uplifting their Community. The Waxahachie Rotary has been a part of the growth and development of Waxahachie community, the cities growth and development for over 100 years. 
 
 
Let’s pray that you never need to know or experience how serious those architectural barriers are. So many can only assume how threaten the lives of those that are disabled lack the liberty and mobility that really limits lives. 
 
The small group of Rotarian volunteers work on ramps part time away from their regular task, responsibilities and employment in their efforts to catch up with the overwhelming needs, demands. 
 
Most people do not see or experience the lives of so many, in the shadows, away from our watchful eyes. Beyond family visits their lives are scripted to isolation, feelings of abandonment and hope for a little more independence, freedom and accommodations. Ramps are accommodations to aid and assist them toward more independence. 
 
Most of those in need have been spending 90% of their time behind close doors that we unknowingly we walk and drive by everyday. Some are sitting, desiring and waiting to get outside each and every day but some that we have witnessed have been locked inside for months.
 
Rotary in Waxahachie has been a driving force for change and have been instrumental in so many of the Community Structures, buildings and Symbols that stand today and has made Waxahachie famous. We are all one split second away from loosing out own mobility and freedom, none of us know if or when we or one of our family members are overcome. So until then, let’s keep those without limitations and barriers safe, and help lessen the barriers, and help lessen and eliminate those that restrictions for those less fortunate. 
 
 
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