Project Access – building ramps for Frederick County Residents

It has been a little busy around here lately.  I have taken on quite a few extra task/projects lately.  I have been recently accepted to the Maryland Association of REALTORS® Leadership Academy while also attending the Long & Foster REALTORS® Management Training Academy.  Of course these items are more for self development.  I am a firm believer that you should be learning something everyday, no matter what it is.  Fortunately, the real estate market slows down during the winter months to afford me the time to do all of these other projects.

A couple other places that I volunteer my time are with the American Cancer Society for the Frederick Relay for Life in May and with various committees at the Frederick County Association of REALTORS®.

One of the bigger tasks that is now in the works; Project Access. I first introduced it to you back in January.  A small group of us (Beto Benetiz, Kenny Meeks, Jan Reynolds and Judy Thompson) have been working together on ideas and procedures to get the job done.  The whole process has been a learning experience for all of us.  At first we didn’t know where to find a qualified candidate for us to build a ramp.  The time line we created had ended and then we receive a late entry from the Frederick County ARC House.

Jimmy King sporting his new wheels

They put us in touch with the Darr family of Brunswick.  They have been taking care of their eight year old grandson that has been diagnosised with Duchennes Muscular Dystropy.  This bright eyed boy is a pleasure to be around and it is even more evident when you talk to his grandparents.   Until recently, they would carry Jimmy up and down steps to get him to school.  Mr. Darr would carry Jimmy’s 120 lb body up the steps while Mrs. Darr would carry the wheel chair into the house.  Fortunately, they received a new motorized wheel chair so he is able to function a little easier with all of his friends at school and home.   However, this still doesn’t solve the problem at getting Jimmy in the house from street level.  They have been using a gracious neighbors back yard to wheel Jimmy down to the house from the alley.  Soon to be an impossible task as the weather gets worse.  Mr. Darr recognized this early on and has been slowly and painfully removing the steep steps in front of the house for a new Lift.  There is not enough room for just a ramp into the house.

Grandparents waiting for Jimmy to get off bus

We have met with them and brought out a very capable contractor, Larry Schaffert, to assist us in the project.  He drew up a set of plans that might cost us $15,000 to adapt the front yard for an ADA access to the Darr residents. (on edit: the Darrs opted for a much less expensive approach for their access.)  With that said, this is where I need your help.  We need to raise money and we need to raise it now.  Bad weather is lurking in front of us.  Vendors won’t move forward until they have a portion of the estimate to get started.  Please donate what you can.  You have two ways to contribute.  On-Line via the widget on the right side of this page or you can mail it in to our office;  FCAR – Project Access, 529 West South Street, Frederick, MD 21701.  If you have questions, you can call me or our office at 301-663-0757.

Donate to Project Access

Disclaimer: FCAR is a “Not For Profit” Organization. Your wonderful donations are not tax deductible, but will go directly to the installation of Jimmy King’s Lift by Laurel Medical Supplies until completed.

Bob is a licensed Real Estate agent in Maryland and Pennsylvania. You can contact him via email at bob@gotbob4homes.com or call him on his cell phone at 240-285-4918.  Bob left the Frederick area to manage a resort office near Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland. He still stays in touch with the area that he has grown to love.