Texas Ramp Project 2023 Year In Review

The Texas Ramp Project (TRP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free wheelchair ramps to low-income older adults and people with disabilities identified by local health care providers and social workers. Ramps are built exclusively with volunteer labor, keeping costs to a minimum. Ramps are built without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, age, or gender.

In 2023, the Fayette County TRP volunteers built 41 ramps. The total length of these ramps was 1336 feet. The average ramp was 32.5 feet in length. The total cost of materials (treated lumber and hardware) for these 41 ramps was $45,620.00. The average ramp cost was $1,113.00. Ramps were built in Carmine, Ellinger, Fayetteville, Flatonia, La Grange, Muldoon, Round Top, Schulenburg, Weimar, and West Point.

All 2023 ramps were built by one or more of the following Fayette County volunteers: Matthew Becktol, Ted Bell, Roy Bolton, Paul Brodsgaard, Steve Cameron, Richard Copeland, Jonathan Ellis, Dan Flagg, Sandy Flagg, Rich Franks, Larry Grigsby, James Hill, Orvel Hill, John Marburger, Ed Murphy, Frank Smith, Dan Teas, Bill Wegmann, Norman Wied, and Ricky Woods. Warehouse space was provided by Jim Howse.

A sincere thank you to the following entities and individuals who provided funding to build ramps in 2023: Jon & Maxine Ballard, St. James Episcopal Church, Donald Meek, Second Chance Emporium, Mary Louise McElroy, Hochheim Prairie Branch 117, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 870, Theodore Kolek, St. James Episcopal Church Holy Smokers, Don Johnson, La Grange Rotary Club, Don Jones, Sandra Malouf, Holy Rosary Church – Hostyn Parish, Saints Peter & Paul Parish – Plum, William & Dorothy Marth, Colorado Valley Communications, Chuk Guzman, Benigna Gerdes, American Legion Post 143, American Legion 143 Tri-County Riders, William Trlica, First United Methodist Church – La Grange, La Grange Church of Christ, Round Top State Bank, and Don Christen.

For more information about the Texas Ramp Project, or to request a ramp, please visit the TRP website: https:// texasramps.org/. To volunteer or to donate, please contact Frank Smith, (512) 762-4065 or jfranks@stedwards.edu.