For 85-year-old Lakewood resident Gregoria Dumlao, the postcard that arrived a couple of months ago was literally an answer to her prayers.

Dumlao, who retired in 1985 from her job as a civilian supply worker at then-Fort Lewis Logistics Center, had been praying for some means to get back the mobility and freedom she has lost to severe spinal arthritis.

The postcard explained that “Rebuilding Together South Sound” was holding a “Ramp-A-Thon” building event in conjunction with the veterans organization “VetsMeetVets” and Master Builders Association of Pierce County. The city of Lakewood helped underwrite the cost.

Dumlao said her arthritis has kept her virtually housebound even though she got a powered chair a year ago. Without a ramp, she has been unable to get the chair in and out of the house so she can shop and visit the doctor.

“I had been praying to God because I had no money, only my pension, and I needed a ramp to use my power chair,” she said. “I have a walker, but the arthritis in my spine is so bad now I can’t even go over the front-door step.”

Her prayer was answered Saturday, when a volunteer construction crew converged on her house in the 10700 block of Doten Drive SW about 8:30 a.m. A ramp leading from her driveway to her front door was completed by lunch time.

“I am so thankful to them,” she said. “It’s not only the ramp. They connected my screen door and trimmed my roses and pulled weeds in the backyard. A lady was even on a stepladder cleaning the rain gutters in back of the house.”

Across town, a second crew built a ramp for Debra Smith, who lives in the Aspen Estates mobile-home park on 146th Street SW. 

Smith was selected because of her advanced emphysema and COPD lung disease, which requires her to use supplemental oxygen 24/7, and because her family has moved away from the area and is no longer available to help her.

“Since my health is getting worse and worse, I was thinking about the future,” she said. “I’m not really housebound yet, but I’m close to it. Stairs are just getting too hard for me to do anymore. So I applied.

“They were so sweet. They even mowed my yard for me.”

Laura Haworth, communications and marketing manager for the Master Builders Association, said Rebuilding Together thought the Ramp-A-Thon project would be a good way to bring the two organizations closer together.

“A lot of our members already do things with Rebuilding Together,” she said. “There are about 10 to 15 houses that our members work on.  This was a little different, though. This is the first time we’ve done a Ramp-A-Thon in Pierce County.”

Awarded the Jane T. Russell Governance Award at the 2011 Nonprofit Excellence Awards, Rebuilding Together South Sound brings volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of low-income homeowners—particularly the elderly, people with disabilities and families with children.

Since 2001, Rebuilding Together South Sound has completed more than 350 projects with repairs worth nearly $4,000,000.

VetsMeetVets is working to end veteran suicide by bringing recent and seasoned veterans together, while the Master Builders Association is a non-profit trade association composed of more than 850 home-building professionals and related service providers in Pierce County.

Volunteer Patrick Reed, who worked on Smith’s ramp Saturday, heard about the Ramp-A-Thon through VetsMeetVets.

“These people obviously need this kind of help,” the Tacoma resident said. “If you can use your skills and you have the time, then why wouldn’t you do it?” It’s a great way to meet people and a benefit to the community.”