ARM Lends a Hand to Families

In honor of Make a Difference Day, Oct. 24, residents from Auburn and surrounding areas put together projects to help under-served families in the community.

"We have been working on seven projects today," said Carla Reddle, construction coordinator for Alabama Rural Ministry. "Make a Difference Day has been pretty big. We decided to go on a blitz and just mainly do roofs and ramps. We have working on two different roofs and two different ramps, along with a group of university students from Tuskegee have been working on three other projects that don't involve roof or ramps."

ARM tries to arrange service projects for low-income people who are not be able to afford home repairs, said Brad Word who is on ARM's board of directors.

"Our mantra is warm, safe and dry," Word said. "So, we work on roofs, doors, windows, decks, steps and ramps so people will be able to stay in their homes."

Vicki Battle of Notasulga, a victim of multiple sclerosis, is 75 percent crippled. Battle is also confined to a wheelchair because of a recent hip surgery.

Battle's home lacks the necessary safe ways of entering and exiting the house.

"Today we are helping Mrs. Battle who is confined to a wheelchair from MS," Word said. "Her deck was in really bad shape, and she was having a really difficult time getting in and out. We tore off the old deck and put in a new one with a wheelchair ramp, so her and her family can easily enter and exit the house."

Battle said she could not afford a new deck and ramp.

Battle said after Hurricane Katrina hit she thought there was no hope she would ever get her house repairs accomplished.

Reddle said the project has taken only two weeks to set into motion.

"A friend contacted them for me and then Carla called me and I was amazed to get her call," Battle said. "When I found out they were going to build me and my family a ramp I couldn't help the tears. It means a lot, the people are friendly and loving and they mean it from bottom of their hearts, and I just really can't describe the feeling. It's overwhelming."

Reddle said Battle's issue was one of safety and she felt her team could easily help meet the Battle's needs.

"We have wonderful people here that are willing and loving and that can do what needs to be done," Reddle said. "Mrs. Battle needed this badly. If she can't get down those stairs and something is happening to the house then it is not a good situation. We are trying to get this ramp up as soon as we can so that it is safe for her to live here."

Mark and Carla Waldrop volunteered to build the Battle's ramp and said they have learned there are people that need help and there is always somebody in a worse situation.

"We love participating in missions all over the world, but home missions are our heart," Carla said. "We love to help people in the community that are in need because we don't realize we have people that are right in our backyard that need help. There are a lot of people like the Battles that need help and don't have any support."

With the completion of her new ramp set for a couple of days, Battle is thankful and excited to be able to venture safely outside her home.

"I couldn't sleep all night," Battle said. "It was like Christmas in October. I've been having such a good day. I didn't know I was going to be up this late, but I feel great. Just going on adrenaline."

In 2008, three million people cared enough about their communities to volunteer on that day, accomplishing thousands of projects in hundreds of towns, according to the Make a Difference Web site.

"The projects are as much fun for the workers as they are for the family," said Deborah Stabler, volunteer for Make a Difference Day. "We have had a good time being together, coming in and talking with each other. Some of Mrs. Battle's neighbors are out there helping build the ramp. She never met them until today, but we are all neighbors in the community. Just to be able to meet somebody, meet a need and have a great time doing it has been a lot of fun."