Deck and Ramp Addition — Northeast Portland, Oregon

A seranade for our volunteers.

Project: This young veteran’s main mode of transportation for grocery shopping and visiting with friends is his hand cycle. A spinal cord injury has left him with very limited mobility and weakness of his legs. He lives alone in a small single level home in NE Portland. There are 4 steps up to his house from both the front and back entrances of his home. In order to leave the house he has been pulling his cycle and his wheelchair up the stairs of his deck for years with difficulty but great fortitude.

A member of the disabled American Veterans in Portland who was aware of Dennis’s predicament contacted ReFIT and suggested that ReFIT look into building a new deck with a ramp for Dennis. The DAV would donate the supplies and ReFIT would supply the volunteers.

Partners: Disabled American Veterans, Portland, Chapter 1 and Parr Lumber, Markt & Co., Inc., Design Link, Stuart Koster Construction, Roloff Construction, Inc.

Result: With a generous donation from DAV, discounted materials from Parr Lumber and dedicated volunteers, who didn’t seem to mind working in the rain, the deck and ramp now give this veteran easier and safer access into and out of his home.