With Christmas approaching, the nonprofit Operation Ramp it Up is celebrating the holiday season in a unique way.
The Tri-State organization focuses on assisting veterans, their families, and those with mobility issues by installing ramps for walking or wheelchairs.
This year, the organization helped Dwight McCoy, a Hamilton resident and United States Air Force veteran.
According to WCPO, McCoy has balance issues that make walking difficult. The ramp will also be used by his elderly mother and niece, who is disabled.
The team transported the ramp in on a truck. Then they installed it, cleared any debris, and drilled the device to ensure its stability.
“He will have first and foremost the ability to return home, but he will also be able to enter and exit his home as needed,” said Kyle Mathews, president of Operation Ramp it Up.
McCoy went down the ramp after it was installed, tears in his eyes.
“This is fantastic, man; you guys are great. “I don’t know how to repay you for all of this,” McCoy told the nonprofit members who brought him the metal ramp.
Greg Schneider, one of Operation Ramp It Up’s co-founders, has a personal connection to the ramp.
“It was installed in our house, for our family, and for my wife,” Schneider explained. “She didn’t need it anymore and we were able to pay it forward.”
Schneider stated that his wife had been battling cancer. He can now use the ramp to help others.
“It’s something I love doing and my kids and my grandkids are a part of this and they know the importance of giving back,” Schneider told the media.
Operation Ramp It Up also gave McCoy a special wooden American flag to display in his home as a token of appreciation for his service to the country.
