Members of Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers create wheelchair ramp for Corvallis woman

The job was only partially completed, but it was time for a coffee at the Corvallis mobile home park, where four sets of hands worked together Tuesday to build a wheelchair ramp. The team had run out of wood, so "The Boss" went on an emergency lumber run.

When Mike Rebar, Jack Rich and Curt Heimberg refer to "The Boss," they don't mean Bruce Springsteen. These three are big fans of Francis Johnson, the leader of their volunteer crew that was spending the day creating a way for Linda Schoonover to easily leave her home for the first time in several years.

All four men are parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church and members of the nonprofit group Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers.

Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers is a local organization drawing its membership from nine churches in the city. The group serves the elderly community and people with disabilities in Corvallis, Philomath and surrounding areas. Volunteers visit the homebound, provide transportation for those unable to use Dial-A-Bus, make minor home repairs, do yardwork and assist in light housekeeping for those unable to perform such tasks for themselves.

According to Betty Johnson, the group's coordinator, this partnership among churches began 18 years ago. The Seventh-Day Adventist Church had a chore service that could not meet the level of need in the community, so it contacted Johnson, then a director of senior services in Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties, about getting help.

"They couldn't do it alone, so we invited all Benton County churches to join," she said.

Although the vast majority of group members belong to participating churches, Johnson added that all volunteers are welcome.

In 2003, 180 caregivers volunteered 3,661 hours through the group and served 161 individuals. Despite the organization‘s strong ties to churches, it serves individuals of all (or no) religious affiliations. Building ramps to make homes wheelchair-accessible is one service the group provides. To date this year, volunteers have built 15 ramps. This includes the one built Tuesday for Linda Schoonover.

Linda's husband, Ralph Schoonover, helped the four volunteers put in a 32-foot ramp that will allow Linda's motorized wheelchair to move from the porch to the sidewalk and out into the world.

Ralph said asthma and emphysema have left his wife practically housebound for several years, hardly able even with his assistance to walk from the house down the steps to the car. Ralph expressed his appreciation for the caregivers, whom he referred to as "saints."

"These guys are Good Samaritans," he said. "I'm not a carpenter. I just couldn't do this myself."

Giving someone the gift of mobility is Rich's payback for a hard day's work. Rich, a retired metal shop teacher, joined Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers a year ago, after hearing about it at St. Mary's.

"I was looking for a way to help people with my free time," he said.

Francis Johnson is a retired contractor and former Habitat for Humanity construction supervisor. He helps ensure that the ramps meet safety codes.

Sometimes the builders encounter interesting challenges and have to build winding ramps with multiple landings to make the project work. Johnson said he once constructed a ramp over 55 feet long.

Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers has no paid staffers, and St. Mary's donates the office space, so the group keeps its costs minimal. For ramps, the only expenses are the building materials. Rebar said that a ramp costs between $12 and $15 per lineal foot.

The group asks its beneficiaries to contribute as much as they can toward construction costs, and the organization will help pick up the slack. The caregivers depend on private donations, primarily from their churches' congregations, for funding.

Betty Johnson said some individuals with special needs have relied on her group for 10 years.

"We don't call these people clients," she said. "We call them ‘special friends' because we hope to have an ongoing relationship with them."

At a glance

People in need of assistance or those interested in helping with this ministry can call the Caregivers' office at 757-0980.