Finally finished a project...

....and it's not mine.

I have a neighbor that uses an electric wheelchair to run to the store.
She stopped last weekend while I was working in the garage and asked if
I knew anyone that might have a piece of steel she could use as a ramp.

Her old "ramp" was beyond dangerous.

http://triumphchoppers.com/gallery/album16/aao

A couple of hours after I got back from looking at that, I was reading
the Rants and Raves section of the local Craigslist. Some idiot posted this:

"....and the people who ride those damned little scooters around because
they are too fat to walk? Get off yer ass and walk people, you'd burn
off some much needed calories and who knows, you might not be a health
or traffic risk anymore!!! Those are the types that end up 700 lbs and
park their fat rears in front of the computer and then wonder why the
hell they can't walk."

My response to them stirred up something I've only seen here and on the
HAMB... People that don't know each other helping out.


"Ever think that maybe they have a medical condition that prevents them
from walking enough and maybe that contributes to the extra weight?

Unless you know the person very well, you don't have a clue what's going
on. Try sitting in a wheelchair for a few years yourself and see how it
affects your weight.

You can spend your time and energy bitching about something you have no
knowledge or control over, or spend it doing something positive.

I chose the positive. I'm meeting with someone today to look at building
a ramp for someone that really needs it and can't afford to have a
proper one built. Want to help make things better for someone? Kick in a
few bucks to help with the cost of materials..."

The results of this were offers from as far away as Oklahoma City to
help with funds to build the ramp, as well as a paraplegic helping
design the ramp.

I couldn't have built a proper ramp for her without that help. The
materials were around $500. Spread that out with several people kicking
in and it's a done deal.

The ramp is complete, as of about 45 minutes ago. There were 3 people
that donated between $85 and $130 towards materials, as well as a couple
that have offered to Paypal a few dollars.

It's good to see people jump in to help someone out when they need it.
None of those that helped with the materials had met me, until Friday
night. One guy met me at Home Depot when I went to pick up materials
purchased by one of the others. He handed me $100 towards the cost.

Here's the completed ramp. All lumber and plywood are treated. I used
deck screws I had left from my building floor. Galvanized joist hangers
and brackets where needed, and supported on concrete deck blocks.

http://triumphchoppers.com/gallery/album16/aat

Her porch is 18" tall. A proper ramp needs 1' of run for each 1" of
rise. She ended up with an 18' ramp with a 4' landing area at the turn.
She can turn her chair around anywhere on the ramp.

She went down and back up safely, and without help, for the first time
ever. When she went down the old ramp, her chair would tip forward and
slide on the foot plate, with the rear wheels in the air. Her sister's
kids always had to push her up the steep ramp they had.

I've had help from here, offers of help via email list year when Ok was
covered in fires, and help from my family and friends. I try to pass
that along whenever I can.

Later,

Les

Project Magnet #1 wrote:
> ...and it's not mine.
>
> I have a neighbor that uses an electric wheelchair to run to the store.
> She stopped last weekend while I was working in the garage and asked if
> I knew anyone that might have a piece of steel she could use as a ramp.
>
> Her old "ramp" was beyond dangerous.
>
> http://triumphchoppers.com/gallery/album16/aao
>
> A couple of hours after I got back from looking at that, I was reading
> the Rants and Raves section of the local Craigslist. Some idiot posted
> this:
>
> "....and the people who ride those damned little scooters around because
> they are too fat to walk? Get off yer ass and walk people, you'd burn
> off some much needed calories and who knows, you might not be a health
> or traffic risk anymore!!! Those are the types that end up 700 lbs and
> park their fat rears in front of the computer and then wonder why the
> hell they can't walk."
>
> My response to them stirred up something I've only seen here and on the
> HAMB... People that don't know each other helping out.
>
>
> "Ever think that maybe they have a medical condition that prevents them
> from walking enough and maybe that contributes to the extra weight?
>
> Unless you know the person very well, you don't have a clue what's going
> on. Try sitting in a wheelchair for a few years yourself and see how it
> affects your weight.
>
> You can spend your time and energy bitching about something you have no
> knowledge or control over, or spend it doing something positive.
>
> I chose the positive. I'm meeting with someone today to look at building
> a ramp for someone that really needs it and can't afford to have a
> proper one built. Want to help make things better for someone? Kick in a
> few bucks to help with the cost of materials..."
>
> The results of this were offers from as far away as Oklahoma City to
> help with funds to build the ramp, as well as a paraplegic helping
> design the ramp.
>
> I couldn't have built a proper ramp for her without that help. The
> materials were around $500. Spread that out with several people kicking
> in and it's a done deal.
>
> The ramp is complete, as of about 45 minutes ago. There were 3 people
> that donated between $85 and $130 towards materials, as well as a couple
> that have offered to Paypal a few dollars.
>
> It's good to see people jump in to help someone out when they need it.
> None of those that helped with the materials had met me, until Friday
> night. One guy met me at Home Depot when I went to pick up materials
> purchased by one of the others. He handed me $100 towards the cost.
>
> Here's the completed ramp. All lumber and plywood are treated. I used
> deck screws I had left from my building floor. Galvanized joist hangers
> and brackets where needed, and supported on concrete deck blocks.
>
> http://triumphchoppers.com/gallery/album16/aat
>
> Her porch is 18" tall. A proper ramp needs 1' of run for each 1" of
> rise. She ended up with an 18' ramp with a 4' landing area at the turn.
> She can turn her chair around anywhere on the ramp.
>
> She went down and back up safely, and without help, for the first time
> ever. When she went down the old ramp, her chair would tip forward and
> slide on the foot plate, with the rear wheels in the air. Her sister's
> kids always had to push her up the steep ramp they had.
>
> I've had help from here, offers of help via email list year when Ok was
> covered in fires, and help from my family and friends. I try to pass
> that along whenever I can.
>
> Later,
>
> Les

"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be
seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before
you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they
may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward."

The Lord does not say that we must hide our charitable deeds (good
works) so that no one can see them. What He does say is not to draw
attention to ourselves when we have done good. We are not to blow the
horn of self-righteousness, and thus bask in the praises of men. If our
good works are seen by men, the glory is to go to God (Matthew 5:16),
not ourselves. However, when we do good, it may be that no one has seen
what we did. However, we can know that God has seen, and will reward us
for our good, since we did not seek the glory of men.

There is no contradiction.