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VFW Post 7764 “adapts and overcomes...”
Bottom row l-r: VFW members, Gina Hall and Wayne Campbell. Middle row: Earl Boyett, Art LaGrand, Bobby McCall. On steps l-r: Ramp recipients, Sammy and Donita Moody. Photo taken by Ronnie Thomas
Bottom row l-r: VFW members, Gina Hall and Wayne Campbell. Middle row: Earl Boyett, Art LaGrand, Bobby McCall. On steps l-r: Ramp recipients, Sammy and Donita Moody. (Photo taken by Ronnie Thomas)

Members of Post 7764 in Reidsville  bumped up against more than one obstacle last week while trying to help two needy individuals in Claxton, Georgia who needed a wheelchair ramp.  Initially, post members thought they had enough footage of aluminum ramping to construct a ramp for Mr. Sammy and Mrs. Donita Moody of Claxton.  Mrs. Moody has a bone-to-bone situation on her left knee and is about to have knee replacement surgery which would be difficult if not impossible to get up and down the steps at their home.  But the house was higher than estimated which requires a longer ramp, and it was determined that there was less than half of the necessary footage available at the post.  Earl Boyett suggested the wooden ramp delivered to the post by Canoochee EMC about three weeks ago would work, but it was 24 feet long and weighed about 500 pounds. Moving it was obstacle number one.

Post 7764 Senior Vice Commander Bobby Kennedy solved that problem.  “I can move it with my roll back truck,” he said.  But I need to do it before Thursday since I go on call Friday.”  That was obstacle number two.  Everyone was tied up until Friday.  “We’ll load it up and move it early Friday morning,” Bobby said. “We’ll just pray there are no vehicle accidents locally so I don’t get a call,” he added with a grin.  Obstacle two overcome.

Obstacle number three involved connecting the ramp to the back door with enough clearance for the door to open completely.  Walking directly out the back door onto the ramp with a door that  wouldn’t open completely might present a safety hazard.  Jerry English of Collins Mobile Homes helped with that problem as he got a five foot by five foot metal platform with side rails donated from Collins Mobile Homes. The platform fit right up to the back door steps nicely and provided a stable connection for the ramp. Obstacle three overcome. 

Thankfully the entire operation required a little over two hours, and it was completed before the heat became the fourth obstacle.  VFW members collected their tools and rolled out a little after 10:15 a.m., and Mr. and Mrs. Moody had a serviceable ramp that would make the discomfort of having a knee replacement a little safer and less painful. A big thank you goes out to Collins Mobile Homes and Bobby Kennedy. They made a tough job a lot easier.

Currently, Post 7764 has no serviceable aluminum ramps in the inventory   If anyone has an aluminum ramp that might be donated or sold, please contact Ronnie McCall 912-557-6320 or Joe Boyett at 912-549-2100.