Rotary Constructs Ramp for the White Family
Thursday, July 3, 2025
By Bruce Gandy
The Ramp Crew of the Madison County Rotary Club constructed the 987th handicap ramp, an 4’ x 8’ deck leading to a 24’ access ramp, for 18-year-old Isaiah White on Jefferson Highway in Jackson County on 3 July 2025. Isaiah was born with cerebral palsy which has rendered him completely reliant on his family for every facet of his life. His family consists of his father, Joe, who is a field representative for Orkin Exterminating, and his sister, Kiea, who is a sophomore in high school, and, thankfully, his constant caregiver and mother, Kimmie, who only sees the trusting eyes of her baby when she cares for his body. They worship at the Free Chapel online, since they must be careful where they take Isaiah. Isaiah and Kimmie, joined in the photo of this week’s ramp crew which included Alan Phillips, Johnny Minish, Bruce Gandy, Josh Chandler, Don Sullinger, Ed Brown, and not in the photo, Roy Nunnally, Artry Bishop and Bobby Gower.
Thursday, July 3, 2025
By Bruce Gandy
The Ramp Crew of the Madison County Rotary Club constructed the 987th handicap ramp, an 4’ x 8’ deck leading to a 24’ access ramp, for 18-year-old Isaiah White on Jefferson Highway in Jackson County on 3 July 2025. Isaiah was born with cerebral palsy which has rendered him completely reliant on his family for every facet of his life. His family consists of his father, Joe, who is a field representative for Orkin Exterminating, and his sister, Kiea, who is a sophomore in high school, and, thankfully, his constant caregiver and mother, Kimmie, who only sees the trusting eyes of her baby when she cares for his body. They worship at the Free Chapel online, since they must be careful where they take Isaiah. Isaiah and Kimmie, joined in the photo of this week’s ramp crew which included Alan Phillips, Johnny Minish, Bruce Gandy, Josh Chandler, Don Sullinger, Ed Brown, and not in the photo, Roy Nunnally, Artry Bishop and Bobby Gower.
Rotary Constructs Ramp on Wildcat Bridge Road
Thursday, June 19, 2025
By Bruce Gandy
The Ramp Crew of the Madison County Rotary Club constructed the 986th handicap ramp for Larissa Garner on Wildcat Bridge on Thursday, 19 June 2025. The 16-foot access ramp ties in seamlessly with a 6-foot threshold ramp and accommodates a curved sidewalk. Larissa worked as a pharmacy technician for over 20 years at Rite Aid pharmacies. Unfortunately, she suffers from osteoporosis, which was complicated by an auto accident breaking her legs in multiple locations and obliging her to rely on a walker. Luckily, she has two caring children. Her daughter, Stacey, lives close by and her son, Matt, stays in touch from Colorado. Larissa attends Lift Worship in Carnesville. Additionally, she graciously joined the ramp crew for the photo and made a much-appreciated donation to Rotary for its charitable services. The volunteers and Rotarians constructing the ramp consisted of Artry Bishop, Walton Hill, Don Sullinger, Roy Nunnally, Mitchell Hill, Bruce Gandy, Alan Phillips, and Ed Brown. Additionally, State Senator Frank Ginn, one of Larissa’s neighbors and a Rotarian, joined the crew along with Rotarians, Bobbie Gower and Gerry Carroll, who had to leave before the photo was taken.
Thursday, June 19, 2025
By Bruce Gandy
The Ramp Crew of the Madison County Rotary Club constructed the 986th handicap ramp for Larissa Garner on Wildcat Bridge on Thursday, 19 June 2025. The 16-foot access ramp ties in seamlessly with a 6-foot threshold ramp and accommodates a curved sidewalk. Larissa worked as a pharmacy technician for over 20 years at Rite Aid pharmacies. Unfortunately, she suffers from osteoporosis, which was complicated by an auto accident breaking her legs in multiple locations and obliging her to rely on a walker. Luckily, she has two caring children. Her daughter, Stacey, lives close by and her son, Matt, stays in touch from Colorado. Larissa attends Lift Worship in Carnesville. Additionally, she graciously joined the ramp crew for the photo and made a much-appreciated donation to Rotary for its charitable services. The volunteers and Rotarians constructing the ramp consisted of Artry Bishop, Walton Hill, Don Sullinger, Roy Nunnally, Mitchell Hill, Bruce Gandy, Alan Phillips, and Ed Brown. Additionally, State Senator Frank Ginn, one of Larissa’s neighbors and a Rotarian, joined the crew along with Rotarians, Bobbie Gower and Gerry Carroll, who had to leave before the photo was taken.
Rotary Constructs Ramp for the Smith Family
Thursday, June 12, 2025
By Bruce Gandy
Members of the Rotary Club of Madison County and volunteers constructed their 985th handicap ramp, a 24-foot access ramp on Thursday, 12 June 2025, for Joe Lewis Smith who lives on Double Branch Road in Danielsville. Joe Lewis and his daughter, Ladeana with her three sons, Elijah, Malachi, and Kaden recently moved to this area. Unfortunately, Joe Lewis has suffered a serious stroke, leaving him confined to a wheelchair. Ladeana works as a private nurse. Elijah is a Junior at Madison County High School and presently, during the summer, cares for Joe Lewis and his brothers while his mother works. Elijah is an articulate and energetic young man who handles responsibility well. Joe Lewis and Elijah joined the ramp crew in the accompanying photo. The family attends the Mt. Zion Church. The volunteers and Rotarians in the crew for this ramp were Bruce Gandy, Ed Brown, Danny Dills, Gerry Carroll, Alan Phillips, Don Sullinger, Walton Hill, Artry Bishop, and Johnny Minish.
Thursday, June 12, 2025
By Bruce Gandy
Members of the Rotary Club of Madison County and volunteers constructed their 985th handicap ramp, a 24-foot access ramp on Thursday, 12 June 2025, for Joe Lewis Smith who lives on Double Branch Road in Danielsville. Joe Lewis and his daughter, Ladeana with her three sons, Elijah, Malachi, and Kaden recently moved to this area. Unfortunately, Joe Lewis has suffered a serious stroke, leaving him confined to a wheelchair. Ladeana works as a private nurse. Elijah is a Junior at Madison County High School and presently, during the summer, cares for Joe Lewis and his brothers while his mother works. Elijah is an articulate and energetic young man who handles responsibility well. Joe Lewis and Elijah joined the ramp crew in the accompanying photo. The family attends the Mt. Zion Church. The volunteers and Rotarians in the crew for this ramp were Bruce Gandy, Ed Brown, Danny Dills, Gerry Carroll, Alan Phillips, Don Sullinger, Walton Hill, Artry Bishop, and Johnny Minish.
Rotary Constructs Ramp for the Rowe Family
Thursday, June 5, 2025
By Bruce Gandy
Members of the Rotary Club of Madison County and volunteers constructed their 984th handicap ramp, a 20-foot access ramp, on Thursday, 5 June 2025, for Richard Rowe who lives on Northwood Circle in Colbert. According to Rotary leaders, Richard and his wife, Elaine, are longtime residents of Madison County and both have enjoyed long and productive lives. Richard worked as the fleet manager for the cars and equipment for the Gwinnett County Police Department and Elaine worked for many years with Lithonia Lighting Company. However, age invariably arrives accompanied by physical challenges. Both Elaine and Richard have serious arthritis and now require a ramp for safe entry to their home. The Rotarians and volunteers who worked on the ramp included Artry Bishop, Alan Phillips, Don Sullinger, Walton Hill, Roy Nunnally, Danny Dills, Guy Spencer, Ed Brown, and Bruce Gandy.
Thursday, June 5, 2025
By Bruce Gandy
Members of the Rotary Club of Madison County and volunteers constructed their 984th handicap ramp, a 20-foot access ramp, on Thursday, 5 June 2025, for Richard Rowe who lives on Northwood Circle in Colbert. According to Rotary leaders, Richard and his wife, Elaine, are longtime residents of Madison County and both have enjoyed long and productive lives. Richard worked as the fleet manager for the cars and equipment for the Gwinnett County Police Department and Elaine worked for many years with Lithonia Lighting Company. However, age invariably arrives accompanied by physical challenges. Both Elaine and Richard have serious arthritis and now require a ramp for safe entry to their home. The Rotarians and volunteers who worked on the ramp included Artry Bishop, Alan Phillips, Don Sullinger, Walton Hill, Roy Nunnally, Danny Dills, Guy Spencer, Ed Brown, and Bruce Gandy.
Rotary Constructs Ramp for the Williams Family
Thursday, May 22, 2025
By Bruce Gandy
Members of the Rotary Club of Madison County and volunteers constructed their 983rd handicap ramp, a 32’ access ramp with a 4’ x 5’ landing, on Thursday, 22 May 2025, for Debra Williams, who lives on Diamond Hill Neese Road in Colbert. Debra is now retired, but she has worked a full career in the medical field. She and her late husband, Billy, have reared five attentive children in Madison County: Michael, Lamar, Sonya, Leanne, and Lindsey, who live close by and provide abundant love and support. Debra had fallen and broken her hip before, and this ramp replaces difficult stairs, providing a much easier and hopefully much safer entry to her home. Debra graced the ramp crew by joining them in the accompanying photograph and Rotary acknowledges with gratitude, her family’s generosity by purchasing all the materials used for the ramp and giving a generous donation to the Ramp Program. This week’s crew composition: Alan Phillips, Peter LeFave, Artry Bishop, Don Sullinger, Walton Hill, Mitchell Hill, Ed Brown, Guy Spencer, Gerry Carroll, John Taylor and Bruce Gandy.
Thursday, May 22, 2025
By Bruce Gandy
Members of the Rotary Club of Madison County and volunteers constructed their 983rd handicap ramp, a 32’ access ramp with a 4’ x 5’ landing, on Thursday, 22 May 2025, for Debra Williams, who lives on Diamond Hill Neese Road in Colbert. Debra is now retired, but she has worked a full career in the medical field. She and her late husband, Billy, have reared five attentive children in Madison County: Michael, Lamar, Sonya, Leanne, and Lindsey, who live close by and provide abundant love and support. Debra had fallen and broken her hip before, and this ramp replaces difficult stairs, providing a much easier and hopefully much safer entry to her home. Debra graced the ramp crew by joining them in the accompanying photograph and Rotary acknowledges with gratitude, her family’s generosity by purchasing all the materials used for the ramp and giving a generous donation to the Ramp Program. This week’s crew composition: Alan Phillips, Peter LeFave, Artry Bishop, Don Sullinger, Walton Hill, Mitchell Hill, Ed Brown, Guy Spencer, Gerry Carroll, John Taylor and Bruce Gandy.
Rotary Club of Madison County Handicap Ramp Program
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
By Edward A. Brown
The Rotary Club of Madison County started building ramps for disabled individuals in 1995. In 1995, while making a "Meals on Wheels" delivery to Mr. Harold McCarty, who had polio, a club member noticed that he was having great difficulty getting in and out of his house. The club came back and built him a handicap ramp that took most of the day.
These ramps are built at no cost to the ramp recipient. If they can afford a donation to the Ramp Program, it is welcomed but is not mandatory. The club has built ramps for diabetics, stroke victims, heart attacks victims, accidents, polio, birth defects, amputations, and many other disabilities. There are no Federal, State or local funds available for handicapped ramps other than through the Veterans Administration. This is an example of a service organization recognizing a need and doing something about it. Most of our ramps are in Madison County but we have gone to surrounding counties when the need is great. Other counties include Greene, Oconee, Clarke, Jackson, Barrow. Habersham, Oglethorpe, Walton, Hall and Franklin. We helped the Rotary Club of Royston-Franklin Springs (now Franklin County Rotary Club) and the Gainesville Rotary Club develop a successful ramp building program.
Financial support for the ramps comes from club fund-raising projects, and donations from the community and organizations. We have received grants and donations from the Francis Wood Foundation, Jackson EMC Foundation, and from other local organizations. Depending on the size of the ramp, it may take from 20 to 35 manhours or more to plan and construct. The materials for each ramp can run between $500 and $1250 or more. Rotary Club members and community volunteers give freely of their time to plan and construct the ramps and provide all the labor.
If you want to be part of this very successful program and financially support the Ramp Program effort, you can send your financial contribution with a note indicating it is for the "Handicap Ramp Program" made out to “Madison County Rotary Foundation” and mailed to:
Rotary Club of Madison County
P.O. Box 596
Danielsville, GA 30633
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
By Edward A. Brown
The Rotary Club of Madison County started building ramps for disabled individuals in 1995. In 1995, while making a "Meals on Wheels" delivery to Mr. Harold McCarty, who had polio, a club member noticed that he was having great difficulty getting in and out of his house. The club came back and built him a handicap ramp that took most of the day.
These ramps are built at no cost to the ramp recipient. If they can afford a donation to the Ramp Program, it is welcomed but is not mandatory. The club has built ramps for diabetics, stroke victims, heart attacks victims, accidents, polio, birth defects, amputations, and many other disabilities. There are no Federal, State or local funds available for handicapped ramps other than through the Veterans Administration. This is an example of a service organization recognizing a need and doing something about it. Most of our ramps are in Madison County but we have gone to surrounding counties when the need is great. Other counties include Greene, Oconee, Clarke, Jackson, Barrow. Habersham, Oglethorpe, Walton, Hall and Franklin. We helped the Rotary Club of Royston-Franklin Springs (now Franklin County Rotary Club) and the Gainesville Rotary Club develop a successful ramp building program.
Financial support for the ramps comes from club fund-raising projects, and donations from the community and organizations. We have received grants and donations from the Francis Wood Foundation, Jackson EMC Foundation, and from other local organizations. Depending on the size of the ramp, it may take from 20 to 35 manhours or more to plan and construct. The materials for each ramp can run between $500 and $1250 or more. Rotary Club members and community volunteers give freely of their time to plan and construct the ramps and provide all the labor.
If you want to be part of this very successful program and financially support the Ramp Program effort, you can send your financial contribution with a note indicating it is for the "Handicap Ramp Program" made out to “Madison County Rotary Foundation” and mailed to:
Rotary Club of Madison County
P.O. Box 596
Danielsville, GA 30633