The trust and camaraderie that develops during military service remains long after service men and women return to civilian life. It’s a commitment not lost on a group of former military personnel who work at CoServ.
“Veterans are a special group of people,” said Scott Grass, who served four years in the Marines before joining CoServ as Director of Finance. “They often won’t ask for help.”
The group found a way to serve other veterans through the Texas Ramp Project, a nonprofit organization that builds wheelchair ramps for disabled and elderly people who can’t afford to purchase their own.
In September, CoServ’s volunteer veterans built a ramp for a 94-year-old Air Force veteran in Northlake. They also were on hand to present $10,000 from the CoServ Charitable Foundation for the purchase of supplies.
“We stretch this a long way,” said Beverly Ford, a volunteer and coordinator for the TRP’s North Central Texas region. “We make it stretch.”
TRP purchases and delivers supplies to a recipient’s home, volunteers arrive with tools, and under an experienced TRP volunteer’s direction–in this case, Beverly’s–complete the build in about three to four hours.
This was the second build for the CoServ group, which also includes a few nonveterans and their spouses. In April, they constructed a 24-foot ramp for an Air Force veteran and his wife who had difficulty walking up the stairs to their Justin home.
“I’m really proud of these guys unifying to get this job done,” said Scott, likening the effort to the co-op model. “I love the co-op model.”
To learn more about the Texas Ramp Project, visit texasramps.org.
