This time of year brings about beautiful sunshine to the state of Florida; however, there are those that do not have the ability to leave their house to enjoy this pleasant weather. Through Stetson University’s partnership with disAbility Solutions for Independent Living, students and staff were able to provide that same luxury by building a wheelchair ramp for Mrs. Vollmer, a WWII widow who lives in Daytona Beach.

disAbility Solutions is a non-profit agency whose mission is to empower individuals with disabilities to attain equal opportunities in society. The wheelchair ramp allows Vollmer to enter and exit her home freely for the first time, provide safe mobility in and out of the home and provide access to an area of the home that could not be used previously. This ramp was the first of a larger initiative titled 6 Days 6 Ramps, in which six ramps were built across Florida beginning May 17.

Stetson student volunteers included Maverick Marquardt, Gladys Valle and Alice Le. Accompanying Stetson staff members were Savannah-Jane Griffin, AmeriCorps VISTA Erin Schroeder and Steven Carrillo. Other volunteers arrived from programs such as Halifax Habitat for Humanity, United Way Volunteer Program and Easter Seals. The day consisted of hammering, drilling and cutting wood in order to reach the objective of completing the ramp by that evening.

“This community service project allowed me to give back to the community as well as learn from the community,” said Le, a sophomore majoring in music. “I was able to assist a deserving individual as well as gain knowledge from local volunteers experienced in construction.”

As the day came to a close and the final nail was drilled in, all the volunteers gathered around as Vollmer rolled down her new ramp for the first time. Tears were seen, applauses were heard and handshakes were dealt as everyone’s hard work had paid off. “I have a grandmother and aunt with health problems that make it difficult for them to walk as well,” said Valle, a sophomore majoring in psychology. “I understand how much of a relief this ramp is for her and her family.”

“We thoroughly enjoyed and hope to continue working with the 6 Days 6 Ramps program,” says Savannah-Jane Griffin, Stetson associate director of Community Engagement. “The Center for Service Learning will also be providing many more summer projects for students to get involved with!”