AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – Volunteers with the Panhandle Texas Ramp Project have built 269 wheelchair ramps throughout 26 Panhandle counties this year alone. This is almost double the number from the previous year.
Henry Wyckoff, project coordinator, says they assist residents who are referred by medical professionals that have difficulty leaving their homes due to different abilities. “When we get through building a ramp and our client comes out, nine times out of 10 they are in tears because it’s the first time they’ve been able to get access outdoors without someone physically picking them up and carrying them out,” said Wyckoff.
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The projects are funded by grants and partners, allowing the individuals the financial freedom to receive the assistance they need. “An average ramp is between $800 and $1,000, and if the client we built for this morning, if you asked that lady to cough up $1,000 bucks, she couldn’t do it. She has struggled paying her gas bill and her light bill,” said Wyckoff.
Texas Ramp Project has 12 build teams across the Panhandle assisting in ramp builds multiple times a week. Wyckoff says in the past year, the Panhandle Texas Ramp Project has spent $160,000 on building materials alone.
Published: Dec. 23, 2024 at 4:34 PM CST
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