The Post has been busy for the past month with constructing ADA access ramps for veterans.  Utilizing funds from a Home Depot Foundation Grant, we were able to build a couple ramps during the month of August.

The first project was to provide access from the residence floor level to a lower garage area at Comrade Peart’s house.  The platform and 12-foot ramp was built in just one day, led by architect and custom builder Andre Pieratt (your commander’s brother).  We’re waiting on the final piece of steel plate to bridge the gap between the ramp and garage floor before we call it complete.

The next ramp project was located up the Chumstick area out of Leavenworth.  Retired United States Air Force MSgt Butch Johnson from Dayton, Ohio was moving here with his wife to be closer to family.  He uses a walker and needed a ramp to help with the 27-inch difference from the floor of his house to the carport.

Because of the length of ramp required on this project, we teamed up with “Operation Ramp It Up” out of Cincinnati, OH that provides modular aluminum ADA access ramps to veterans free of charge.  Bruce Krieger, from Snohomish VFW Post 921, is the Washington State representative for Operation Ramp It Up and immediately said he could help.

Utilizing funds from our Home Depot Foundation Grant, volunteers from Chelan County Fire District 3 (Leavenworth) helped us modify the existing deck area to allow for the modular aluminum deck pieces to be installed.  Comrade Elmer Johnson, Adjutant from Snohomish Post 921, made the trip over with the ramp parts and we were able to finish the installation in less than 2 hours.

By teaming up with Operation Ramp It Up, our capability to help more veterans with ADA access to their homes is improved greatly.  It also stretches out our grant funds from Home Depot as we no longer have to build the entire ramp from wood.  We just use the grant to pay for minor alterations to the existing property that will allow for the attachment of aluminum ramp.