Master Builder volunteers make life easier for local residents

Published 9:04 pm Saturday, May 16, 2009

LYNNWOOD — Lois Elliott has lived in her tidy rambler for just a few days shy of 30 years, and she doesn’t want to leave any time soon.

But at 84, she has her share of obstacles. And more than her share of falls; so many, in fact, that she doesn’t go out in her front yard alone anymore.

She was in the front yard Saturday though, seated in a white plastic chair while three volunteers weeded her sprawling flower beds. Another volunteer had just finished mowing her lawn, and another was down the street at a local store buying new extension cords for her garage refrigerators. (The old ones, he explained, could spark a fire and burn the place down.)

Those little acts of kindness were bonuses. The five-person crew, all employed by Aspen Services in Renton and Chown Hardware in Bellevue, were there to build a ramp in her garage that would allow her to safely use her walker.

Turns out, it didn’t take much time at all to build a sloping walkway where there were once steps into Elliott’s house. So they thought they’d wash some windows and otherwise “gussy the place up a little bit,” said Carolyn Thomas of Chown Hardware.

“These are the most wonderful people — the most wonderful people I’ve ever met in my life,” Elliott said.

More than 450 volunteers built 32 wheelchair ramps for disabled and low-income residents of King and Snohomish counties on Saturday, part of the Master Builders Association’s “Rampathon” event. Coordinated by the group’s Master Builders Care Foundation, Rampathon is in its 15th year, and members have built nearly 300 ramps throughout the two counties during that time.

Elliott, a white-haired woman who says she’s never awakened sad a day in her life, has suffered with knee problems her whole life. But she doesn’t want her physical limitations to keep her from living in her own home, so she applied to the Rampathon program for help.

Her team of volunteers selected her from a list of about 150 applicants and showed up bright and early Saturday to start construction.

Elsewhere in Lynnwood, Mary Joy was also getting a ramp. Coincidentally, Saturday was her birthday. The 79-year-old suffers from advanced multiple sclerosis, and the new ramp means she can continue living at home.

“She doesn’t want to be put in a nursing home; she’s just here with her family,” daughter Anna Plunkett said. “Anything else that can make her last days comfortable, that’s what we want to do.”

Richard Ellis of Everett was already using his ramp Saturday, after crews showed up earlier in the week for the work party. Ellis and his wife both have difficulty walking, and their son suffers from multiple sclerosis.

“It’s getting progressively worse. He’ll need a wheelchair,” Ellis said, adding that a temporary ramp proved to be dangerous when supporting a 300-pound power chair.

Rampathon is part of the Master Builders Association’s centennial celebration. The group plans to complete 100 public service projects this year.

Before the crew left Elliott’s house Saturday, they had one more thing to give her: a silver Rampathon medal displayed on a long loop of ribbon.

“Oh, my golly,” Elliott said, putting the medal over her head. “I’ll wear it. Because I like jewelry. You can all come back to my house anytime.”

She added: “And if you want some cookies, call me.”