Salem VFW Post 12154 Post Commander David Perkins recently said, “We started this post a couple of years ago with the intent of dedicating ourselves to community involvement and support for veterans. This handicapped ramp project is an excellent example of the type of activity we’re interested in.”

With Gary Manning taking the lead, Richard Wheeler, Mike Rindorf and Paul Burdges spent several days of hard labor constructing a handicap ramp for the front entrance of the home of Veteran John M. Koelsch and his wife Nancy, who faces serious mobility issues. The ramp ensures safe access from the house in the event of an emergency.

The project included removing about half of an old stone paved walk not easily navigable by an individual using a walker or in a wheelchair, laying a concrete pad for that end of the ramp, assembling a modern stainless steel handicap ramp and constructing solid railings from scratch to assist anyone down the few steps to the street.

While the project was not seamless and presented numerous challenges, the crew prevailed. Veterans of Foreign Wars in the Salem area who might be interested in joining a VFW Post oriented to serving the needs of the community should contact Dave Perkins at 502-381-2861.

-Submitted by John Koelsch