Machinist union members Steve Morrison (left), of Marysville, and Mike Hill, of Stanwood, work to install a wheelchair ramp at a home in Marysville on Saturday, May 27. (Ian Terry / The Herald)

Machinist union members Steve Morrison (left), of Marysville, and Mike Hill, of Stanwood, work to install a wheelchair ramp at a home in Marysville on Saturday, May 27. (Ian Terry / The Herald)

Volunteers build wheelchair ramps through Machinists program

MARYSVILLE — When Ed Page’s wife, Sue, needed a wheelchair, he built a do-it-yourself ramp to get her in and out of their Marysville home.

Page is good with his hands. After serving time in the military in Vietnam, he worked for Boeing as a mechanic for 36 years. He worked on every commercial jetliner from the 707 to the 777 during his time there.

But, as Page admits, he is not a master carpenter, and his ramp was proof.

“It had bumps and a three-inch drop,” he said.

Three times a week, he has to take his wife to dialysis.

“It was getting harder and harder to get in and out,” Page said.

The retired mechanic has a hard enough time getting around himself and often uses a cane, he said.

Then Page found out about a program run by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751. The union represents about 30,000 Boeing workers around Puget Sound. Page was a member for decades.

The IAM program builds wheelchair ramps around Western Washington for people who need one. The program is open to anyone, not only former or current union members.

The United Way helps pay for supplies if money is tight for a person, said Adrian Camez, a Boeing worker and IAM member. He helps run the ramp-building program, which is part of the Machinists Volunteer Program.

The group builds about 20 to 30 wheelchair ramps a year, he said.

Camez has been involved in the program for seven years, and he has built more ramps than he can recall.

So, the volunteers have plenty of practice. “It’s second nature for us,” he said.

They can assemble a ramp in as little as 60 minutes, he said. “They take anywhere from an hour to five or six” for complicated jobs.

After Julie Martin’s husband had a stroke earlier this year, his coming home depended on having a wheelchair ramp added to their Arlington-area home. Camez and a crew of Machinists were out there in April and quickly had their work finished.

“They literally had the ramp up in 75 minutes! I’ve never seen anything like it,” Julie Martin said.

“They were shouting out dimensions, cutting pieces in the driveway and hammering them together,” she said.

The reward is unrivaled for Camez.

“When you go out to a site, sometimes people say they haven’t been outside in six months,” he said. “It crushes us to hear that.”

With a crew of three to 15 people measuring, hammering and nailing, they have a ramp up in short order. But what seems so small in terms of labor, means so much to the recipients.

“It’s just a great feeling to see the smile on people’s faces when they use it for the first time,” Camez said.

Ed Page was plenty appreciative for the work his fellow Machinists put in on a sunny Saturday in late May.

“Basically, it’s having the freedom to come and go,” he said.

Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dcatchpole.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

Guns for sale at Caso’s Gun-A-Rama in Jersey City, New Jersey, which has been open since 1967. (Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/New Jersey Monitor)
After suing, WA gets carveout from Trump administration plan to return gun conversion devices

The Trump administration has agreed to not distribute devices that turn semi-automatic… Continue reading

The Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility about 16 miles east of Ellensburg in central Washington is part of Puget Sound Energy’s clean energy portfolio. (Courtesy of Puget Sound Energy)
Megabill’s elimination of tax credits for clean energy projects could cost WA $8.7 billion

Washington households could see electricity costs increase $115 per year by 2029; 21,800 workers could lose their jobs by 2030, analysts say.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Everett mayor candidates focus on affordability, city budget in costly race

As incumbent Cassie Franklin seeks a third term in office, three candidates are looking to unseat her.

Everett
Judge sentences man, 73, for intending to have sex with ‘teen’ in Everett

The Arizona man sent explicit images to an agent posing as a 13-year-old. Investigators found images of child sexual abuse on his phone.

State’s draft of climate action plan open for public comment

Residents can submit public comments or climate-related stories online through Aug. 22.

The Edmonds School Board discusses budget cuts during a school board meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds school board approves 2025-26 budget

After facing an estimated $8.5 million shortfall earlier in the year, the board passed a balanced budget Tuesday.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.