Ramp built for local veteran

ANDERSON - United Postal Services (UPS) employees aided United States Army Vietnam War Veteran Tommy Gonzales with a ramp build at his home on Scenic View Drive in Anderson Monday, July 26.

The project was part of Operation Ramp It Up, a non-profit organization started by Greg Schneider, a UPS driver from Sharonville, Ohio.

Schneider, who has been employed with UPS since January 1980, first built a ramp for someone in need with a different non-profit organization, People Working For People. That experience motivated him to start his own non-profit to be able to help more veterans.

In his seven years of building ramps, Schneider and his organization have installed more than 100 ramps in 34 states, 70 of those were recycled from a previous location where they were no longer needed.

Schneider said he was contacted by Wheelchairs for Warriors, a non-profit organization from Houston, who stated they had a veteran in Anderson that needed a ramp. Schneider said he sent a contractor to the home to take measurements.

The funding for the ramp was provided by the UPS Foundation in Atlanta, Georgia. Schneider contacted UPS Community Relations Manager Maritza A. Ramos, from Tucson, Arizona, who reached out to the foundation to have the ramp paid for.

Schneider then contacted Derek Butts, the UPS Director of Buildings and Systems Engineering (BASE) Red River Region in Dallas. Butts gathered 25 employees throughout Texas from the UPS BASE group to assist with the build.

Schneider said UPS has a slogan they live by Determined people working together can accomplish anything. “This build was a collaboration of those efforts,” said Schneider. “We’re here because a veteran gave us our freedom and we just want to give back.”

For more information on Operation Ramp It Up, visit their website, www.operationrampitup.com.